New Divide
by blueblackmask
Summary: KuramaXOC. Canon used. At that moment, there were three things Jori understood. One: This man was dangerous, and especially to her. Two: He wasn't human, at least not entirely. And Three: The blazing desire that had been inside her all these years had finally revealed its true aspiration.
1. The Anthem of A New Beninning

Disclaimer: I do not own Yu Yu Hakusho. I only use the characters and story plot for recriational use.

Claimer: I do own Julie and Megumi =)

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All But Forgotten

Chapter 1: The Anthem of the New Beginning

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"Please?"

"No."

"Pretty please?"

"I said no, Megumi."

"…Not even with a cherry on top?"

"Damn it, I said no!" Julie finally snapped and threw her wrench at her brunette friend's head. Luckily the girl had fast enough reflexes to dodge out of the way. The wrench clattered to the floor as the two girls glared at each other.

"See. That's why we need to go. You always get moody if it's been too long." Megumi said as she picked herself up off the floor and dusted off her green jacket.

Julie closed her eyes as she closed the hood of the Barracuda she was working on. The idiots who owned the classic car completely shot the transmission. Julie leaned against the car as she looked at Megumi.

"Fine. We'll go. But not for long, it's a school night and I have a history test tomorrow." Julie said as she hoisted herself up and walked to the door of the shop.

Megumi squealed happily and hugged Julie as tightly as possible, which slightly lifted her up since Julie was a good couple of inches shorter than Megumi. "Thank you!" She paused for a second before dropping Julie and pinching her nose shut.

"Uh…Julie you smell like motor oil…maybe you should clean up a bit first."

"I'll do it at home. Come on, we'll take my car since you walked here." Julie said, she then turned to look for the manager of the auto shop. "Jer, where are you?"

"Down here Jewels, I heard everything, go on ahead. It's not like I can fire you anyway." Jer chuckled from under a mini-van.

"You only wish. But since it's my grandfather's garage I doubt that'll happen." Julie laughed as well.

Jer rolled out on his creeper to meet Julie's eyes, a cheery twinkle was in his brown ones as his greased and grimed face cracked a grin. "Go have fun kiddo, Megumi's right, you do get moody."

Julie scoffed and threw the red rag that she used to get the grease off her hands at Jer's face. "Whatever, let's go Megumi. Later Jer," then she called out louder, "Later guys!"

A chorus of farewells followed Julie out the door from her coworkers.

When Julie and Megumi reached her grandparent's house there was a note on the kitchen counter.

"What's it say?" Megumi asked and sat on the counter top and bit into an apple.

Julie scanned over the note before crumpling it up and throwing it away. "That my grandparents are going to be in Europe for business for a few weeks."

_Again._ Julie thought sadly. They were always gone. For the past three months Julie has lived with her grandparents that she thought never existed. When her last foster parents got a phone call from the agency that Julie had living relatives that wanted to take her in, Julie was ecstatic. She was going to have a family again. But when she came to Japan it was not what she expected.

Turns out that her grandparents were very wealthy investors and her grandfather owned a chain of auto repair shops throughout Japan. Needless to say they were always busy. Julie saw her mother's parents for about the first week she moved in. They were kind and helped her get settled in and sorted out with school and all that jazz. But after that first week Julie would only see them for days at a time before they took off again. It was lonely at times but Julie constantly reminded herself that it was better than her foster families.

"Again?" Megumi looked surprised. "They're gone a lot. Aren't old people supposed to be retired by now?"

"Guess my grandparents didn't get that memo. Whatever." Julie shrugged her shoulders, "I'm going to go get ready. I'll be back down in a bit, don't burn the kitchen down."

"Oh come on! That was one time!"

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"Well doesn't someone clean up nicely." Megumi wolf whistled as Julie walked into the living room.

Julie had let her long black-blue hair fall down her back and her bangs swept to the side to show her smoldering blue (almost amethyst) eyes. She was dressed in blue jeans that hugged her wide hips and a white with red and gold flowers tube shirt that clung to her larger than average breasts and flat stomach. She got her body build from her American father's side of the family, at least that's what she guessed since her mother's build wasn't as shapely.

Now Megumi's body build looked like how the majority of Japan's female body's should. She was thin with just enough hips and breast to show she had hit puberty. Her brown hair and eyes were also the stereotypical color. Yet Megumi had an interesting face that made her looks stunning instead of plain. Julie had to guess it was her high cheekbones and tan skin.

"Let's go." Megumi grinned as she and Julie walked out of the house.

They walked to the club since it was only a few blocks away from Julie's house. The girls chitchatted about this and that as they went. A few cat calls were made but the girls either ignored them or flipped the offending males the bird.

They stopped at a building that looked like it had been unused for years, with the graffiti on the brick walls and black painted windows. But the sound and vibration of bass was pumping from it and there was a line of people leading around the block. Julie and Megumi walled right past the line and up to the front door where a large burly man was standing in the way.

He smiled when he saw the two girls and opened the door, allowing the loud music to blast them. "Welcome back ladies."

"Thanks Genku." Julie and Megumi said and walked past him into the large building.

The moment she walked in Julie was completely enveloped. This is what Julie loved. The flashing lights, the booming bass that made her chest vibrate with each pulse, the music so loud she couldn't hear herself think, the heat from so many bodies moving and gyrating against each other in a tight space, all of it.

Megumi was right; Julie did get moody if she didn't relive her stressed out mind. And this is exactly how Julie did it. Something about the dancing calmed whatever it was inside of Julie that threatened to burst. It was a need, a craving, something that has driven her insane since she could remember. A longing.

Nothing seemed to completely fill that longing void Julie had inside of her but dancing sure came close to it. Without a moment's pause Julie threw herself into the crowd and let the music control her.

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"That was"-hic-"so much fun." Megumi slurred.

"Yeah, but maybe next time you shouldn't accept so many drinks from over aged, perverted men. You can't hold your liquor worth a shit." Julie said as she helped Megumi walk back to Julie's house. No way was she going back to her own home, Megumi's mom would throw a fit if she saw her drunk.

"Say…how is it"-hic-"that you can drink so"-hic-"much and not seem the least bit buzzed?" Megumi asked and giggled again.

"High tolerance?" Julie laughed but stopped short as she felt a cold chill go up her spine. She stopped walking and scanned the area with her eyes.

"What'd's"-hic-" the matter, Juuulie…" Megumi slumped against Julie and giggled again.

"Nothing. Just thought I saw something. Come on, it's late, who knows what creeps are around here right now." Julie said, and quickened her pass.

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"What if a demon were to creep after you one night, in your loneliest, and say, 'This life which you live must be lived by you once again and innumerable times more; and every pain and joy and thought and sigh must come again to you, all in the same sequence. The eternal hourglass will again and again be turned and you with it, dust of the dust!' Would you throw yourself down and gnash your teeth and curse that demon? Or would you answer, 'Never have I heard anything more divine'?" ~Friedrich Nietzsche

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I know this chapter was freaking short but take faith that it is more a teaser than an actual chapter. I am going to try and start a new thing with my stories, I'm going to try a weekly update. I plan on doing it on Saturadays. So come back to this story every Saturday to see the new chapter. If it's not up then come back next Saturday and there will more than likely be two chapters up. I'm going to try and make these updates people! Have faith in me!

-love mucho, blue


	2. The Anthem of Zombieland

Disclaimer: I do not own Yu Yu Hakusho. I use the plot and characters for recreational use only.

Claimer: I do claim Julie and Megumi lovingly=)

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Chapter 2: The Anthem of Zombieland

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"Oh, why did you let me drink so much last night, Julie? My head is pounding?" Megumi whined as she sat down next to Julie in her desk.

"It was your idea in the first place. I told you I didn't even want to go." Julie smugly said with her chin resting on her palm.

"But you needed too. You look so much healthier now. The sacrifices I make for my friends…I'm a saint sometimes."

Julie rolled her eyes.

"Miss Anderson! Stop talking this instant!" Julie's math teacher, Mr. Yuamoto, aka the man that hates her guts, yelled at her.

"Yes Mr. Yuamoto," Julie replied but then stuck her tongue out at him when he turned back to the chalk board.

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"Man, I have never seen that man hate anyone as much as you, Julie, well except for Yusuke. I mean he gave you a week's worth of detentions in a hour and an extra homework assignment. What did you do to piss him off so bad?" Megumi whispered to her.

"Who?" Julie asked while looking at Megumi out of the corner of her eye.

"Mr. Yuamoto." Megumi said dumbly.

"No. I mean who's Yusuke?" Julie asked rolling her eyes.

"Oh! Right, you haven't met him yet. Well he's been gone for six months straight now. But even before then he hardly came to school. He's a bit of a trouble maker and none of the teachers like him, especially Mr. Yuamoto. Most of the kids here are afraid of him, well except Keiko…Hey look! It's Keiko!"

Julie casted her eyes to a small brunette girl that was standing in front of the movie theater, looking extremely irritated. From what Julie had come to understand about Keiko is that she was very studious and a goody two shoes, but very kind. She helped Julie around the school when she first moved here and they talk every now and again, but nothing really connected them for them to be really good friends. Julie felt pity for the girl because she saw a sadness in Keiko's eyes that Julie couldn't imagine would cause it. But something today seemed to truly upset her.

"Hey Keiko!" Megumi seemed oblivious to the girl's somber attitude, and walked over to her like Ms. Sunshine.

Keiko looked over at the two girls in the same blue uniform as her and quickly wiped away some tears and smiled as best as she could at them. "Hello Megumi, Julie. What are you two doing around here?"

"Oh just walking around before heading home. You okay? You seem kinda bummed." Megumi smiled down at Keiko since she was even shorter than Julie.

"I was going to see a movie with Yusuke and Kuwabara before heading back to the school to finish up some Student Council things but they ran off about 10 minutes ago." Keiko looked like she was about to cry her eyes out or murder someone. Julie took a step back, just in case.

"Yusuke? He's back?" Megumi seemed to be oblivious to Keiko's mood once again as she asked evidently touchy questions.

"Yeah, he just got back…but now he's run off again." Keiko bit one of her knuckles worriedly.

"Don't worry. I'm sure he's fine. Probably off in another fight or something." Megumi patted her on the back.

Keiko looked at her with wide, fearful eyes and Julie nudged Megumi in the ribs with a flat look. Megumi realized her error and laughed nervously. "Ah…I mean…ah…"

"How about you guys go see a movie Keiko? Megumi's been wanting to watch that new romance flick with Haku Tentou in it. Right Megumi?" Julie said giving her another look.

"Oh my God he is soooo dreamy…" Megumi drooled. Julie didn't know if she caught on to the change of subject or Megumi was just that easily distracted. Probably (and sadly) the lateral. Either way Keiko giggled and nodded her head as Megumi grabbed her arm and lead her to the ticket booth.

"Are you not coming with us, Julie?" Keiko asked when she noticed that Julie wasn't following them.

Julie shook her head. "I've got a lot of homework to do, and I really have things I need to catch up on at home. I'll see you guys tomorrow at school."

Julie waved good-bye before heading down the street toward her grandparent's house. She walked for ten minutes before stopping at a street sign and noticing she was on the wrong street.

"Oh for crying out loud! Why does this city have to be so freaking huge! This is ridiculous; I've lost count how many times I've gotten lost here in just three months! Ah!" Julie ranted, in English, before blowing a piece of hair out of her eyes and turning to walk down the _right_ street. She stopped short when she noticed five men walking towards her in an awkward way…kinda like a zombie would in those cheesy horror films. They definitely looked like zombies, at least to Julie they did. They looked like normal human beings except for the fact their skin was blue and their eyes were a glowing purplish-red. Not to mention they kept gargling while they mumbled gibberish and drool would roll down their chin.

Julie's nose scrunched up in discuss as she backed away. "Ah…hi…" She attempted to say. The men growled and moaned as they walked closer. Julie looked around to see if there was anyone else around. The street was deserted.

"Of course…" Julie mumbled under her breath.

One of the bigger men shot out and grabbed Julie's upper arm. She automatically reared back her free arm and punched him square in the face, making him let go and stumble back.

"Now boys, there are better ways to get a girl. This is a little too strong don't you think?" Julie said as she crouched down a bit and put her fists up, a small smirk playing on her lips.

The zombie men seemed to grow agitated and ran towards Julie all at once. Julie braced herself but they stopped in their tracks just a few feet away from Julie, and at the same time a low pitched ringing filled the air.

Julie gasped and clamped her hands over her ears as the ringing flowed through the air like a song being played on a flute or whistle. Either way it sounded like nails on a chalkboard to Julie and she thought her eardrums would burst if it didn't stop soon. She fell to her knees and leaned her head on the cool concrete as the ringing got worse. It then stopped as soon as it came. Julie glanced a look up to see the zombie men were walking away from her as if she didn't exist anymore.

"That's weird." Julie muttered as she got up. "Hey, freaks, you scared now!"

Julie knew it wasn't wise to taunt the lion, per se, but one: she didn't like unfinished fights, and two: she was curious as to why they lost interest so quickly.

The zombie guys didn't even glance at her as they continued down the road. Curiosity got the better of Julie and she decided to follow them. She wasn't entirely stupid so she stayed a safe distance from them just in case they decided they wanted to go for round two.

"What on earth? Why would they want to go to my high school of all places?" Julie mused to herself as she hid behind a brick pillar and surveyed the area. There were zombie people everywhere and they were blocking the entrance gate to the school.

A scream sounded through the air, making Julie jump. She looked around and saw a tree with low limps and close to the school gate and climbed up it. When she was high enough to see over the gate she saw Keiko and a tall girl with blue hair running away from a zombie Mr. Yuamoto through the court yard and into the school building.

Without a second thought Julie swung her body over the gate and landed in a crouch on the dirt ground of the school court yard. Zombies turned their heads to see who made the noise and when they saw Julie, attacked.

Julie expertly moved in and out of the zombie's grips and hit and kicked them just the right way to stun them long enough to slip past and into the school.

_There's more of them. What's making these people into zombie things? It doesn't make sense. Unless…_ Julie gasped as she saw it. A bug, about the length of her hand and looked like a mutated mosquito landed on the wall to her left.

"A demon bug…but how did it get in the human world?" Julie slipped off her black flat and slammed it against the wall and successfully squishing the demon parasite. It fell to the floor with a splat before disappearing.

_Well that explains the zombies. But not why or how they got here. What let these things in the human world and how are they controlling them?_ Julie slipped her shoe back on before running up the stairs to the second floor when she heard another of Keiko's screams.

It wasn't very hard to find them. The zombies weren't the most quite things in the world, and a handful of them just broke a door down and walked into a class room. Julie followed them silently and saw them all huddle around a broom cabinet with a yellow scarf sticking out.

A zombie Mr. Yuamoto laughed manically from the front of the group. "Yukimura! I always knew you weren't as smart as you made us think." He and the other zombie teachers picked up anything that could impale someone pretty good. "Hid yourself well didn't you? Except for one thing: your scarf."

Julie's eyes widened as she saw that it was indeed Keiko's scarf sticking out of the cabinet. "Oh shit."

"I wanted you to stay away from Urameshi, but it's too late." Mr. Yuamoto said, still manically laughing. "You're damaged." He reared back his wooded mop handle to bring it down on the cabinet.

"Hey, ugly!" Julie yelled getting all of the zombie's attention and ran at Mr. Yuamoto. All of them were so stunned that she was there they didn't react fast enough to her approach. Julie slammed her fist into Mr. Yuamoto's nose and sent him to the ground.

"You don't know how good that feels." Julie smiled but didn't get to gloat for too long because another zombie wrapped his arm around her neck. "Don't think so, buddy." Julie slammed her elbow into his gut and when his grip loosened she slipped down into a crouch and kicked his legs out from under him. She then turned to the next three but then Keiko and the blue haired girl came out from behind the curtains of the window with brooms in hand and wacked two of the zombie's in the head, and in doing so, out cold. Julie smiled and kicked the last one in the gut and the force slammed him into the wall.

"Well that was tricky." Julie said smiling at Keiko and the blue haired girl, and put her hands on her hips. "I even thought you were in the cabinet."

"Julie? What are you doing here? How did you find us?" Keiko asked looking at her in awe.

Julie laughed a bit nervously. "I was in the neighborhood when these guys attacked me and I wound up here simply out of stupid curiosity that's going to kill me some day. And well…your screaming was pretty helpful in finding you."

"Can we talk about this later? I'm afraid we have a big problem on our hands." The blue hair girl said as she grabbed Keiko's and Julie's hand. "We've got to run for an exit."

"Well I could have told you that." Julie said as she kept pace with the blue haired girl. Keiko seemed to be having more trouble.

"You can't run forever, Yukimura." Mr. Yuamoto was in the front of the pack that was chasing the girls with a pair of scissors in hand.

"Man. I really hate that guy." Julie said looking over her shoulder at said teacher and turned a corner.

A metal bar swung out and hit the girl with the blue hair in temple. Julie and Keiko gasped as Julie caught her and fell to her knees with the unconscious girl in her arms. A compact mirror fell out of the girl's pocket.

"Oh, Botan!" Keiko sank down to their level as well.

Julie checked to see if she was alright, she seemed to be but she was going to have an ugly bruise tomorrow. Keiko gasped and Julie looked up to see more zombie guys coming from the hall they were heading too, except these guys had steel pipes as weapons. Julie looked behind them to see Mr. Yuamoto's group was still heading their way, with wooden broom and mop handles in hand. They were surrounded and neither option looked good.

"Run…away." Botan whispered.

"I'm not leaving you." Keiko said.

"The community comes together when it's something important, see." Mr. Yuamoto snapped the girl's attention to him. "And correcting bad girls is very important." He laughed again. Keiko looked scared out of her wits. Julie handed the blue haired girl, she guessed that was named Botan, over to Keiko and stood up in a fighting stance towards Mr. Yuamoto. "I knew you were trouble from the first day I saw you Anderson! And I was right; it's time for your punishment!"

"And I knew you were a prick the first day I came to this school. I guess we were both right. Kicking your ass is going to be pretty sweet." Julie braced herself for an attack.

Mr. Yuamoto stepped forward, and in doing so crushed the compact mirror under his foot, and raised the scissors like a dagger. The other zombies around the girls all raised their weapons to attack as well.

_Damn it. I can't deflect them all._ Julie thought in frustration and moved her body so it was protecting Keiko and Botan as much as possible. "Keiko, I'm going to try and fight off as many of them as possible, I want you to take Botan and get out of here as soon as I clear a path. Do you understand?"

Keiko nodded her head. "But what about you?"

Julie didn't have time to answer when the zombies moved forward.

Keiko held onto Botan's unconscious form tightly and screamed, "Yusuke!"

Suddenly a blue light formed around the three sane girls, stopping the weapon's in their tracks. Mr. Yuamoto's scissors were just inches from Julie's heart. She was so surprised by the blue light she couldn't move.

Everything happened so fast after that. The light disappeared, all the people seemed to return to normal and fall unconscious and the demon bugs crawled out of them and withered and died before disappearing, and then that same ringing from before rang out again. Except this time it was like an explosion inside Julie's ears, the noise was so loud it felt like someone was clawing at her brain with steel blades. Spots flashed behind Julie's eyes and she let slip a silent scream as she fell to the floor face first. The last thing she remembered was Keiko calling out her name before darkness clouded her eyes.

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"Those who do not have the Fear of God, are overtaken by fear. They are destroyed by their own pride. Having forgotten the Name, the world is roaming around like a wild demon. ~ Sri Guru Granth Sahib

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Next time on **All But Forgotten**:

_Julie set the untouched mug of tea on the coffee table, and walked to the door. She didn't make it even half way there because she was slammed into the wall and held there by her throat. She didn't struggle but met the glare of the red eyes that were seething._

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Reviews much appreciated and enjoy your life until next Saturday (2-5-11)=)

-Love much, blue


	3. The Anthem of Ignorance

Disclaimer: I do not own Yu Yu Hakusho. I use the plot and characters for recreational use only.

Claimer: I own Julie and Megumi fully and lovingly =)

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Chapter 3: The Anthem of Ignorance

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Julie shot up, breathing like she had just run a marathon, and covered in a cold sweat. Her wide blue-amethyst eyes roamed the room as she tried to figure out where she was. Well she was in a bedroom, that much she could figure out from the twin bed she was on, and the dresser and other trivial things around her. But it wasn't her room. It was dark outside and the clock on the night stand said 8:27 p.m. But she didn't know what day it was, or possibly how many days she had been out.

She pulled her legs out of bed and stood up, but then regretted it when all the blood rushed from her head, making her very dizzy and lightheaded. She sat back down on the bed and then felt the pulses of a splitting headache. She rested her head in her hands with her elbows propped on her knees. She saw that someone had taken her shoes off, and then noticed the other missing pieces of her school uniform such as her scarf and jacket, leaving her in the blue skirt and white tank top. Someone had also taken the liberty of taking her hair down so that it cascaded down her back in a straight black sheet all the way to her waist. Julie growled at that, she did _not_ like people touching her without her say so.

She stood back up again, slowly this time, and looked around the room for her missing clothing. She didn't see them but she did see an aspirin and a glass of water next to it. She ignored the water as she dry swallowed the pill like all the other ones that she takes.

Julie walked out the bedroom door and followed the hallway into a living room. It was small but comfy with a couple of couches and a television set, and the kitchen was attached to it openly so whoever was in the kitchen could easily see and converse with anyone in the living room. There were six people in the room. Two were Botan and Keiko. Another was a big red headed guy, with a face only a mother could love, that Julie recognized as one of her classmates named Kazuma Kuwabara. He was playing a video game with Keiko and Botan were watching. Another girl that was a tall brunette was smoking a cigarette in the lounge chair and reading a magazine. Another one was a short man cloaked in black and sitting on the window ceil. He had spiky black hair with a white starburst pattern and red eyes. He didn't look to friendly. The last person was a very handsome male with long red hair and emerald green eyes. He too was reading, a book instead of a magazine though, but his eyes were not moving so Julie knew he really wasn't reading, but merely appearing like he was.

Julie snapped her eyes back to the male on the window ceil. He wasn't human, his aura told her so and she tensed.

Unbeknown to anyone Julie had the ability to see unnatural things, such as demons. She learned that she had this ability when she saw a demon for the first time at the age of three. It wasn't a pleasant experience and her parents thought she just had an overactive imagination when she told them she saw a red man with three horns and fangs sitting outside her window at night. The deviant beings didn't stop appearing after that and Julie learned a few years later that unless she wanted to be considered insane by her own race, she was to keep her Sight to herself. Over the years it became easier to ignore the abnormal beings around her. Some were easier than others. There were demons that could easily pass for a human, but they gave off a demonic aura that sent chills down Julie's spin, like the one on the window ceil did. Others were not so humanoid, and Julie had seen her fair share of disturbing, horrific, and twisted demons; and the sight of them alone had Julie seeing them in her nightmares to this day.

She swallowed hard and casted her wide eyes away from him and tried to pretend that he was like all the others in the room. She forced herself to relax her body, regulate her breathing, and appear like she had just woken up.

Keiko was the first to realize Julie was standing in the room. She jumped up and smiled genuinely at Julie. "Julie! You're awake. I was so worried that you were seriously injured. Are you feeling alright?"

Julie noticed the red head flinch when Keiko spoke but he seemed to recover quickly as he looked up at her with everyone else.

Julie had to keep from gasping when his eyes met her's. Her body seemed to lock up as she couldn't tear her eyes away from the emerald ones that were boring into her skull. His eyes betrayed his age. They spoke emotions beyond words and depth beyond age.

The longing that was constantly gnawing at her entire being was pulling with all its force at her. It stirred inside her now more than it ever has, even on the dance floor. It was an ache that burned her from the inside.

There were three things Julie was certain of right then and there. One: This man was dangerous. Extremely, and especially to her. Two: He wasn't human, at least not entirely. His aura was not much different than the demon's on the window ceil, but it wasn't the same either. Three: The aching longing that has been inside her all these years finally has shown what it wants.

Julie then felt fear. This wasn't good. If this constant burning ache had finally decided it's want on something Julie has avoided her entire life, there was going to be major complications.

"Julie? Are you alright?" Keiko's voice broke Julie out of her trance and she snapped her head to look at the small brunette.

"Yeah I'm fine. I have a bit of a head ache but nothing major. How long have I been out?" Julie asked.

"Only for a few hours. I was so worried when you passed out, are you sure you're alright?" Keiko looked at her with giant teary brown eyes and Julie wanted to squeal from how cute she looked.

Another thing unknown about Julie: cute things brought out the extremely girly side of her.

"I'm fine Keiko. How's Botan?" Julie asked looking at the blue haired girl that bounded over to Keiko's side with a cheery smile.

"I'm doing fantastic. We were never formally introduced. I'm Botan." Botan bowed her head in the traditional Japanese greeting.

"Julie Anderson, please to meet you." Julie smiled and bowed back.

"Well while we're at introductions I might as well do so. I'm Shizuru Kuwabara, and that's my kid brother over there, Kazuma." The tall brunette said as she grounded the butt of her cigarette in the ash tray and stuck her hands on her hips.

"Sup." Julie replied in a not so mannerly way, Shizuru seemed more of a laid back person so it didn't seem necessary.

"Shizuru! Why do you always have to embarrass me in front of pretty girls?" The not so pretty red head whined. He stood up and grabbed Julie's hand and kissed the knuckles. Julie just blinked in confusion and didn't know how to respond.

"It's a great honor to finally talk to you, Julie. I have heard about your beauty from the other boys in school and have come to see they do you no justice. Please call me Kuwabara, like everyone else does. It would be an honor to be on a friendly basis with you." Kuwabara said all of this rather dramatically.

"…Uh…" Julie was at a loss for words.

Thankfully Shizuru clubbed Kuwabara upside the head, causing him to let go of Julie's hand with a cry. "She doesn't want your slobber all over her hand! Quit being such an idiot and go check on your friend or something!"

_Thank you, Shizuru._ Julie thought with a sigh of relief.

Keiko gasped. "Oh, Yusuke! I forgot!" She rushed to the same hallway Julie had just came out of and a door was opened and closed softly.

Shizuru sighed. "I better go make sure she's not drowning herself in her tears." She too walked out of the room leaving Julie with the three men.

A tea kettle whistle blew, causing Julie to cringe from the loud noise making her headache worse, even with the medicine. The red head that was reading got up noiselessly and walked into the kitchen. He came back a moment later with a steaming black mug and handed it to Julie with a smile that was a complete 180 from his demeanor earlier when he was studying her.

"Here, drink this. It will help with your headache." He said in a gentle voice that Julie didn't expect.

She accepted gratefully and blew the steam of the hot content in an attempt to try and cool it. She looked at it warily though, he wasn't exactly human, and Julie learned a long time ago not to trust anyone or anything she didn't know. Especially the supernatural.

The demon on the window ceil snorted, causing everyone to look at him. His bright red eyes looked at Julie impassively. "He didn't poison it, idiot human girl."

Julie's eyes widened and her full lips parted slightly. Kuwabara and the unnamed read head looked at him in surprise.

"Hiei…" The red head said testily.

"Don't bother, Kurama. She knows what we are." The demon, Hiei, didn't take his gaze off of Julie, but the look he gave her was one of mild curiosity.

Kuwabara and the read head pretty boy, Kurama, turned their surprised faces to Julie. She closed her eyes and took a deep breath before looking back at Hiei with a blank look. "I know you're what?"

"Don't play dumb with me, human. I know you know that Kurama and I aren't humans." Hiei said with irritation laced in his voice.

Julie didn't respond. She looked calm and collective on the outside but on the inside she was panicking like a rabbit cornered by a snake. Her heart was beating at such a fast pace that Julie thought it was going to jump out of her chest. How did this demon know she knew what he was? She hid her knowledge of the demon world for years and successfully avoided any unwanted attention it could merit. How did this demon see through her facade so effortlessly? What did she do to give herself away? He couldn't have figured it out with the little slip up she had when she first entered the room.

"Is this true, Julie?" Her thoughts were interrupted when Kurama spoke to her.

Julie's head snapped to him and saw his eyes scrutinizing her like they were before.

"I have no idea what you and your friend are talking about. I do know, however, that I need to be getting home. Thank you for the tea and hospitality but I must be on my way." Julie said evenly as she stood up, set the untouched mug of tea on the coffee table, and walked to the door.

She didn't make it even half way there because she was slammed into the wall and held there by her throat. She didn't struggle but met the glare of the red eyes that were seething.

"Hey! What are you doing shrimp! You can't hit a girl like that!" Kuwabara yelled at Hiei.

"Hiei I agree with Kuwabara; that was quite unnecessary." Kurama said looking at Hiei with distaste.

"This is the last time I'll ask, and don't play dumb with me. How do you know what we are?" Hiei demanded.

Julie blew some of her bangs out of her eyes before looking venomously at Hiei. That's when she saw a purple glow from beneath the white bandana around Hiei's forehead in the shape of an eye. Julie put two and two together.

_The Jagan Eye. He's a mind reader. That explains a lot._ Julie thought before realizing that Hiei must have heard it. He growled at her. This was exactly why Julie played the ignorant human, because of demons like Hiei. A lot of demons didn't like the fact that a human could see them, let alone know what they are.

"Let go of me." Julie hissed out. She was either feeling incredible brave or incredible stupid today, probably the lateral but she did not like it that Hiei thought he could scare her into submission.

Hiei seemed to of snapped from anger there. Julie realized she was being stupid today because it wasn't smart to give a pretentious demon a command, especially since she was human. They tended to not take well to that. His hand snapped to the katana hilt at his waist. It was half way draw when Kurama intercepted and held Hiei's wrist, preventing him from drawing it further.

Kurama looked at Hiei with emotions in his eyes that Julie didn't understand or couldn't decipher, but the stern anger was obvious. Hiei returned his glare full force. It was silent for a moment and Julie guessed the two were having a mental conversation from the different looks Kurama was giving Hiei and the growing irritation that was taking place on Hiei's face.

Finally Hiei released Julie's throat and flicked away from her and was back on his window ceil before Julie had time to blink. She didn't move an inch from her spot and continued to watch the easily angered demon with the intention to spring away if he tried anything again.

"Please forgive Hiei. He's not much of a people person, and he's not that bad when you get to know him." Kurama was smiling again.

Julie just nodded her head. She was having trouble just _concentrating _on not trying to reach out and touch Kurama. This Craving (she finally decided that that's what it was) was starting to piss her off. It almost hurt to be this close to Kurama and not have physical contact with him. In an attempt to distance herself from him Julie pushed up farther against the wall. It wasn't much but she was still too scared of Hiei to move away from Kurama who was obviously shielding her.

Kurama seemed to misunderstand her reasoning for moving. His eyes softened and he put his hands in front of him, palms forward, to show he was no threat. "Please don't be scared. We do not mean any harm to you. We're just curious as to how you know about us."

Julie looked at Kurama's hands. The Craving wanted her to just touch them. Any skin contact would satisfy it. But Julie had learned a long time ago to override her desire and listen to her brain. It's what kept her alive and morally sound all this time. Why stop listening to it now just because the desire was stronger than ever before? Therefore she locked her fingers together behind her back and casted her gaze away from Kurama's beautiful green eyes and to the gray toned carpet.

"You can tell us, Julie. I'm fully human and I know what Hiei and Kurama are too. I can vouch that they won't harm you." Kuwabara said as he walked over to stand next to Kurama.

Julie still didn't look up. She suddenly found herself feeling very claustrophobic and needing air. "Please. I need to go. Just let me leave."

Kuwabara and Kurama looked at each other skeptically.

Julie's chest tightened suddenly. Her breath caught in her throat and she looked up with panicked, wide eyes. Kurama and Kuwabara and even Hiei were slightly caught off guard by the girl's sudden change in demeanor.

Julie then began to cough violently and she raised a hand to her mouth and rapped her other arm around her rip cage in an attempt to hold her lungs in.

"Are you alright?" Kurama moved to her but she pushed herself away from the wall and away from him and Kuwabara.

She hastily and clumsily ran to the front door, her coughing fit not ceasing, and pulled it open.

"I'm sorry. I need to leave." She managed to say in between ragged breaths and coughs before slamming the door shut.

"Well that was weird." Kuwabara said, being the first one to break the silence that followed Julie's departure.

"Yes that was very strange indeed." Kurama agreed.

"So how are we going to find her?" Kuwabara asked, sitting back down on the coach.

"You go to that thing called 'school' with her don't you, idiot?" Hiei asked.

"Oh yea…shut up shrimp!"

"Kuwabara, you have blood on your arm. Are you injured?" Kurama asked with furrowed eyebrows.

Kuwabara looked down at his left bicep and saw that he did in fact have blood on it. He wiped the red liquid off with a random piece of cloth and looked at it. "Ew, it's not mine. All my wounds from Byakko are healed and I haven't gotten any since."

"How strange." Kurama trailed off as he went into deep thought.

* * *

It's been three days since Julie had woken up at Kuwabara's house. She had purposefully stayed at her house and out of public so she wouldn't run into them. It helped that the zombie episode caused school to be cancelled for the week, so she never left unless she truly had to. But she doubted she could avoid them for much longer, if they really wanted to talk to her, Julie bet the mind reader, Hiei, could locate her easily. The best case scenario would be that they forgot about her and moved on with their lives…yeah right.

A banging was heard from the front door and Julie froze on her seat on the couch. The television remote was gripped in her hand and she held her breath.

"Julie, are you there? Why is the door locked?"

Julie relaxed and fell back on the couch exasperated. It was just Megumi. The banging continued so Julie pulled herself off of the comfy couch and opened the door for Megumi to come in. She bounded in and plopped herself right when Julie was seconds ago. Annoyance crossed Julie's thoughts but she wasn't in the mood to tell Megumi to move, so she just stood in front of her.

"What are you doing here Megumi?" Julie asked, though not really focusing on her.

"Making sure you're still alive. I haven't heard from you in three days. I thought you might have killed over from those lunatics."

It took Julie a second to figure out what Megumi was talking about. She forgot that the newspapers twisted the whole zombie epidemic into something more explainable than demonic bugs. Julie doubted the public would take that too well.

"I'm fine. Just haven't been feeling right these past few days. I've been on some personal down time."

"Well you need to get into some person up time because we're," Megumi moved her index finger between herself and Julie, "going to a party."

"Sorry Megumi. I'm not feeling up to it right now." Julie crossed her arms and leaned against her wall. She was feeling another headache coming on.

"What? But it's a Kaisuke party!" Megumi cried out and jumped up to her feet.

Julie looked at Megumi with mild interest.

"Come on! He's sooooo dreamy! And he throws some kick-ass parties! Plus he totally digs you!" Megumi said with stars in her eyes.

_He's also a demon._ Julie told Megumi mentally. "You know how I feel about him. He's no good, Megumi, you should stay away from him."

"Come on! Please can we go? He doesn't throw very many parties, and it doesn't have to be for very long!" Megumi then proceeded to do the face.

Now Julie could resist most things: drug addiction, boy's advances, even eating more than one potato chip (and those things are more addicting than the drugs) but she couldn't resist puppies. Not even things that resembled puppies and Megumi was the essence of the puppy pout.

Julie stared at Megumi's face for a good three minutes without even showing one flicker of emotion, but then Megumi jutted out her lip an extra centimeter and Julie caved. With a groan she hoisted herself off the wall. "Fine we'll go."

Megumi squealed happily.

"But only for an hour." Julie gave Megumi a pointed look. Megumi was too excited to speak so she just nodded her head happily.

It was about a 15 minute walk between Julie's house and their location. Julie didn't even need to look for which house was Kaisuke's. The booming music and flashing lights from the second house on the left made it pretty obvious. Megumi was practically bouncing on her heels and all but ran to the roguish house.

* * *

"Alright binky-breath, what do you want now? It better not be another mission, I just woke up from the last one yesterday." An irritated Yusuke asked as he walked into Koenma's office with Kuwabara in tow. "Oh, hey Kurama, Hiei. Koenma got you guys too huh?" Yusuke said when he realized his two other teammates were in the room.

"Hello Yusuke. Glad to see you are doing well." Kurama said politely while Hiei responded with a look.

The toddler sighed but let Yusuke's name calling go. He was getting use to it by now. "Technically it's not a mission. I just want you four to retrieve someone for me. It won't be difficult, they are human and in the human world."

"Well that can't be too hard then." Kuwabara said.

"Who is the guy? And will he come quietly? You always say these missions won't be hard but they seem to get worse every time." Yusuke pointed out loudly.

"It's not a he, Yusuke, but a she." Koenma pressed a button on his desk and a picture of a pretty black haired, blue-amethyst eyed girl popped up on the screen.

"Hey! It's that girl from my school!" Kuwabara yelled pointing at the screen.

"Yes, this is Julie Avery Anderson. You all had recently met her during the incident with the Saint Beasts." Koenma explained.

"She was the girl that helped Keiko…" Yusuke said. He was grateful beyond imagine to the girl. She protected Keiko when he was fighting Suzaku and couldn't protect her himself. And for that, he was in this stranger's debt. And for that he was suspicious of Koenma's motives. "Why do want her?"

Koenma picked up the suspicion in Yusuke's voice easily, and could understand why. It was believed that Spirit World steals away and sometimes disposes of spiritually aware humans that could reveal the other worlds. Sadly these rumors were very true on most occasions. "Calm down Yusuke. It's not what you think. I merely wish to speak with her, nothing more. She will be free to do what she pleases afterwards. You have my word."

Yusuke still looked skeptical but sighed and crossed his arms. "Fine, where is she?"

Koenma looked pleased that Yusuke accepted the job, and eagerly turned his chair to the giant screen, and clicked a button to make it change.

Every person in the room cringed when reverberation blared through the speakers and seem to shake the entire room. Koenma fumbled with the remote and quickly turned the volume way down.

"Well now that my ear drums are completely busted, you mind telling me where the hell that is?" Yusuke asked, annoyed, and pointed at a house that was the source of loud noise.

"That is where Julie is." Koenma replied.

"Hey isn't that Kaisuke Uto's house?" Kuwabara asked.

Recognition crossed Yusuke's face. "Oh yea. The dude throws some wild parties." Yusuke smirked as he remembered crashing a few of Kaisuke's shindigs.

The screen flickered and a new picture appeared on the screen. It was hard to concentrate on one thing in the picture. The lights were flashing and changing colors, and bodies were moving to the loud music with red cups in hand, there were way too many beings in one place and it looked pretty chaotic.

"Hell yea! Take your drunk ass home!"

The screen moved like a person's head would towards the voice that could be heard over the music.

"Hey it's Megumi!"

* * *

And it was in fact Megumi who had yelled. She was standing at the head of a small card table that had bottles of alcohol and shot glasses on it. Of the many other people surrounding it only two were sitting down. One was a guy with short brown hair and bloodshot eyes from too many drinks. The other one was a sober Julie.

"What? No way! I want a rematch!" The nameless guy slurred angrily.

"No way! You've lost 3 times already! Hand over the money and step away. It's time for the next contender." Megumi stuck her tongue out at the guy.

"This has got to be a joke!" He slurred angrily now and stood up, looking at Julie as forebodingly as possible. "She must have cheated somehow! There is no way _she_ could out drink _me_."

"Obviously I did. Now get lost." Julie said glaring at the drunken idiot. She was getting extremely irritated now. This party didn't brighten her mood and she was tenser now with all these people, than she was at her house alone. She felt like she was out in the open and was more vulnerable to a confrontation with the demons. She just hoped that if they did come they wouldn't attempt anything because of the amount of people. They usually don't like to make a scene.

The drunk looked like he was about to snap something but didn't get the chance. A guy had just walked up to their little table and the drunk shut his mouth instantly; and with good reason. Kaisuke was a big guy, very muscular and was at least 6'2", which was very uncommon for an oriental male. He also was large in the looks department. He was like an amateur body builder with a face of an Abercrombie and Fitch model, or as Megumi would describe him: "an Adonis sent from the Greek Gods."

"What seems to be the problem here?" Kaisuke smiled calmly but crossed his arms over his chest, flexing slightly, just to show that he would fix the problem if he didn't like it.

"Kaisuke!" Megumi smiled flirtatiously at him. "Just the man I wanted to see."

Julie rolled her eyes and started to stand up, but Megumi forced her back down by pretending to put a friendly hand on Julie's shoulder. Julie didn't even bother trying to mask the glare she sent at Megumi. She knew how much Julie disliked Kaisuke. Megumi, however, was still smiling at him like a love sick puppy, ignoring the fact her best friend was about to kill her.

He put his hands in his jean pockets and turned a charming smile to Megumi and Julie; his eyes brightened when he saw them.

"Well if it isn't the partners in crime: Julie and Megumi. How are you two ladies doing this evening?" Only Julie saw the red gleaming in his deceitful, demonic eyes.

"Stunning, except for this one small problem here." Megumi shoved her thumb in the direction of the silent drunk watching Kaisuke warily. "He just won't accept a loss…well a couple of losses actually, and pay up. You know how people get when they lose to Julie here."

Kaisuke looked at Julie and the red in his eyes gleamed brighter and the smile on his face grew devious. Julie tried to look at him as passively as possible. If she blew her cover now, she'd have problems with him that she really didn't want to deal with later. She already had other demons to worry about; she didn't need to add another to the list.

"Oh I see." Kaisuke had his normal charming smile on his face as he looked at all the liquor bottles that were empty, and then back to Julie. "The young woman that is impervious to the sin of alcohol takes on another unsuspecting victim." He reached forward and took Julie's chin and leaned closer to her ear. "Tell me Julie, how do you do it?"

Julie's hand twitched and she thought of how good it would feel to send this arrogant demon back to the Demon World; instead she settled for slapping his hand away and glaring at him. Wolf whistles and laughter was heard throughout the crowd that was watching the little scene, a few guys were even cheering.

_Drunk idiots. _Julie thought and mentally rolled her eyes. She couldn't really do so because her eyes were occupied with glaring at the demon in front of her.

Kaisuke's face flashed angrily, but Julie was sure she was the only one who saw it because it was back into an easy smirk as he stood straight again. "Right, well," he turned to the still silent, drunk guy, "I advise you take your loss and pay up. This girl has been known to drink an entire bottle of Purple Passion Everclear and not die."

Julie didn't even look at the guy's reaction as she shrugged off Megumi's hand, and got up and walked into another room, which she guessed, was the kitchen; she was able to make out a refrigerator through the sea of people.

She spotted bottles of Smirnoff in an open ice chest and picked one out and popped off the cap before downing it. Her hands were shaking, not from the alcohol, but from such close proximity with the demon. It was times like these that she wished alcohol could affect her, to calm her nerves.

Kaisuke was right about one think. Julie was practically immune to the effects of alcohol, and she found this out at the first party she went to with Megumi where she was challenged to a game of Shots. When she won the game, she and Megumi were curious as to how much alcohol she could really drink. Let's just say the party ran out of booze before Julie could even feel a faint lightness in her head. She was never able to drink enough to get buzzed, let alone drunk.

"Told you he was into you." Megumi said and popped up next to Julie, causing her to splutter her drink.

"Jesus, Megumi, don't do that! You're gonna give me a heart attack!" Julie said coughing up her drink.

"Whatever…ohhh, cutie at three o'clock." Megumi said looking at a guy that was watching them, more specifically Megumi. "If I'm not back in 10 minutes go on home without me." She all but purred as she winked at the guy.

Julie smiled at her friend and shook her head. "You are such a slut, Megumi."

"And you're a sot*. That's what makes us good friends; we can accept what we are." Julie thought for a minute and found truth in her friend's words.

She couldn't help laughing. "Go have fun, Megumi; I'll see you tomorrow unless the morning after isn't awkward." Julie winked at her friend.

"Can do." Megumi didn't need to say anymore as she walked over to the guy, swinging her hips.

Julie brought the bottle to her lips again but when nothing came out, realized it was empty. She frowned before shrugging and reaching for another bottle. But one was already being held out towards her.

* * *

"But when alcohol comes in, start running. Because there's a demon there, and it goes back to her childhood. ~David Gest

* * *

*Sot- a woman that drinks too much. Practically the name of a female alcoholic.

Next time on **All But Forgotten**:

"A frail little thing like you trying to take on someone let's say…as big as me? I find it quite hysterical." His laughter was becoming more maniacal and it was starting to freak Julie out. "In fact, we should test it out."

* * *

Have a good life until next Saturday night. Reviews appreciated =)

-Love mucho, blue


	4. The Anthem of Elusion

**Disclaimer: I do not own Yu Yu Hakusho, I use its plot and characters for recreational use only!**

**Claimer: I own Julie fully and lovingly=)**

**Chapter 4: The Anthem of Elusion**

"So an entire bottle of Everclear, huh? That would be impressive if I believed it."

Julie followed the hand that was holding the bottle of Smirnoff, up the arm, and to the face of a guy she did not recognize. She stood straight and looked at his relaxed stance warily. He was about the same height as she was, maybe an inch taller if he stood up straight, and muscular. Not as muscular as Kaisuke though, but defiantly well toned. His black hair was slicked back and his eyes were noticeably bright for being such a plain brown.

"Well believe what you want, my drinking reputation doesn't really matter to me." Julie said while taking the bottle from him and popping off the lip.

The guy looked at her a little surprised. "Well maybe I can believe it, seeing how much you've already drunk."

Julie looked at him in a bemused fashion. She wasn't sure why this guy was randomly talking to her, but he seemed oblivious to the look as he kept talking.

"Actually I wish I could drink like that. You wouldn't believe how many bets I would win if I did. Truthfully, I'm a damn light weight." The guy grinned at Julie, cheekily.

She couldn't help cracking a grin and chuckle a bit. The guy looked more like he would slam someone if they called him a light weight.

"Ah, there we go! I was beginning to think you were made out of stone." The guy smirked a bit triumphantly. "But, I'm being serious. If I could hold my liquor like you and if I ate an entire package of breath mints Keiko would never be able to tell…"

"Did you say Keiko?" Julie asked, not even caring that she interrupted him.

He looked at her strangely. "Yeah, Keiko, she's a good friend of mine."

She looked him up and down suspiciously before something clicked in her head. "You're name isn't Yusuke is it?"

He looked genuinely surprised that she knew who he was. "Yeah, I'm Yusuke Ura-"

"Urameshi!"

Julie recognized Kuwabara's voice and looked over Yusuke's shoulder to see him walking towards them.

_They found me._ Julie's heart pace increased, but she kept her composure. The only indication that she was distressed was her tightened grip on her Smirnoff bottle. Julie shifted her eyes around the room, looking for any signs the short demon, Hiei, or the red head, Kurama.

"Hey Kuwabara." Yusuke waved nonchalantly.

"We've been looking everywhere for you. What are you doing over here?" Kuwabara asked.

"I was just talking to my new-hey! Where'd she go?" Yusuke asked seeing that Julie wasn't standing next to him anymore, and her Smirnoff on the kitchen counter.

The girl in question had all but run out of the kitchen and into the living room. Julie looked around the room to see if they had followed her, and when she didn't see Kuwabara or Yusuke, she slumped against the wall, closed her eyes, and forced herself to breathe evenly.

_That was too close. I need to find Megumi and get out of here,_ Julie thought. She took one last deep breath before opening her eyes. She practically jumped out of her skin when she saw Kurama standing right in front of her.

"Good evening, Julie." He said evenly.

The Craving was back like yesterday's chili fries, and Julie had to clasp her hands behind her back to keep from reaching out to Kurama. "Evening, Kurama. It's um…surprising to see you here. You don't look like a person that would come to a place like this." Julie said while trying to think of the best route away from the red head.

"Believe me, it's not a place I prefer to go. I'm here on business, actually." Kurama placed one hand in his pants' pocket.

"Mhmm." Julie nodded her head and stepped around Kurama. "Well…good luck with that, I'm going to go…"

Kurama stepped in front of her again. "Don't act ignorant, Julie. It is not very becoming of you." He said, cutting his eyes at her.

A fellow partier shoved into Julie's shoulder, causing her to take an unbalanced step closer to Kurama. She quickly caught herself and took a few more steps back when she saw Kurama move his arms like he was going to catch her. She did _not_ want to touch him in any way. She wasn't sure what would happen, but she didn't want to find out. Her Craving protested, sending shivers down her spin.

Kurama slowly lowered his arms, and looked at Julie with curious green eyes. Julie slowly brought her arms to her side, hands clenching the denim fabric of her jeans, and looked at Kurama with burning blue-amethyst eyes.

"Listen, Kurama, whatever you want, I'm not interested. Just leave me alone and I'll pretend to never have seen nor heard of you and your friends." Julie hoped her voice wasn't as shaky as she felt.

Kurama closed his eyes. "I wish it was that simple."

"Well make it that simple, because I don't care." Julie stepped away but Kurama moved in front of her once again. A sound of agitation rose from Julie's throat and she sent a heated glare at the red head.

"Stubborn." Kurama muttered with a small smile and shake of the head. He obviously found something amusing about their conversation. "We simply wish for you to come with us, Julie. Only for a while, though. Our supervisor only wishes to talk with you, and afterwards you will never see us again, if you wish."

Julie scoffed and rolled her eyes. "If I had a dime every time I heard that. I'll say it one more time. I'm. Not. Interested." With that she pushed past him (careful not to touch him though).

"We're required to use force if necessary." Despite the loud music, Julie was able to hear Kurama perfectly clear from the distance she had put between them.

She turned her head to look back at him. "I know you can't do anything here, not in front of all these people. A scene would get you in trouble, neh?"

He narrowed his eyes at her. "You will have to leave at some point."

She smirked at him. "Then let's see who has longer patience; me, or you, Kuwabara, and Yusuke." With that Julie grabbed the nearest guy and pulled him into the dancing crowd.

* * *

"Hey Kurama, did you find her?" Yusuke asked when he and Kuwabara saw their friend standing against the wall, watching the partiers on the makeshift dance floor.

"Yes, but I didn't have much success. She's more knowledgeable and daring than I anticipated." Kurama sounded irritated, much to Yusuke's and Kuwabara's surprise.

"Where is she?" Kuwabara asked.

Kurama stiffly nodded his head towards the gyrating crowd. There Yusuke and Kuwabara saw Julie moving her body gracefully and rhythmically to the heavily based music. She seemed to have an unlimited number of dance partners as she moved with, and against, many guys that were more than happy to have a justification to touch her. Yet, before they got too comfortable she would spin to another.

"How long has she been out there?" Kuwabara asked, watching her in a daze.

"A little under half an hour, I believe."

"We don't have time for this. Let's just knock her out and take her back to Koenma's." Yusuke was annoyed now. This mission was just like the other ones: more difficult than it was worth.

"You can't hit a girl!" Kuwabara protested.

"Besides that, Yusuke, we cannot force her in front of all these people. It would make a scene and she's using that to her advantage." Kurama said.

"So she knows what's going on." Yusuke stated.

Kurama nodded. "I think we'll be here longer than we thought. The only solution I can think of is waiting until she leaves."

"Damn it, we don't have time for this! Well then can't we get Hiei in here and just hypnosis her or something?" Yusuke asked frustrated.

"I don't think it would be smart to bring Hiei in the house, even if he wanted to come in here." Kurama said glancing out the window at the tree that the fire demon was sitting in. He could already picture Hiei killing anyone who even accidentally bumped into him. No, even Kuwabara knew that would be a bad idea.

"So what do we do now?" Kuwabara asked.

Kurama looked once more at the dance floor to see Julie still dancing, but watching them with guarded blue-amethyst eyes.

* * *

It was one in the morning and Julie was dead tired. She pushed off her latest dance partner, who looked disappointed to let her go, and walk off the floor. She glanced to the corner where her stalkers had been standing to see they weren't there anymore. Instead Megumi and the guy from before were there and in a very…intense moment.

Julie shook her head and looked around but couldn't see Kurama, Kuwabara, or Yusuke anywhere. She couldn't sense them either.

_Finally, they left._ Julie thought relieved, and decided she should go home. She was too tired to care where the three went.

"Later, Megumi." Julie said as she passed her friend that was in a lip lock with the nameless guy. Megumi didn't break contact, but waved at Julie over the guy's shoulder as she went out the door.

Julie instantly wished she'd of brought a jacket because it was freezing outside. She rubbed her bare arms before going off into a brisk walk towards her house. She kept her senses up just in case Kurama, Kuwabara, and Yusuke were planning to ambush her. The thought made her heart race and she decided to take a short cut through the empty park.

She was to the center, where the water fountain was, when she felt an energy spike behind her. Her eyes widened and she quickly turned around.

"Oh, Kaisuke." Julie breathed out. She wasn't exactly relieved to see him but she preferred him to who she was expecting. "What are you doing out here?"

He smiled at her and shoved his hands in his pockets before walking towards her. "I saw you leaving my house alone and just wanted to make sure you made it home alright. A pretty girl shouldn't be walking by herself at night. Who knows what trouble she can run into."

Julie looked at Kaisuke warily. He was a demon, and she knew he was the worst kind of trouble she could run into. But he didn't know that she knew he was a demon, and therefore Julie had to act like how a normal seventeen year old girl would when a handsome guy says he wants to walk her home. "Oh um…thank you but that's unnecessary. I'm almost home anyway."

"Well would you mind if I walked with you the rest of the way? I'd feel terrible if something happened to you and I could have prevented it."

Julie couldn't think of a way around this, and finally surrendered and shrugged her shoulders. "Sure."

Julie waited for Kaisuke to walk beside her before walking forward herself. She was sure her heart was going to beat its way out of her chest. She couldn't let Kaisuke see where she lived, that'd be asking for a death sentence. Julie was jolted from her thoughts when she felt fabric touch her bare shoulders. She looked to see a leather jacket was placed on her.

"You must be cold." Kaisuke smiled at her.

Julie didn't say anything. She was to afraid that she would tell him that she would rather be cold than smell what she was smelling now: a mixture of too musky collogue and that metallic bloody smell that a lot of demons have.

"You know I was sure I didn't make a sound earlier. How'd you know I was behind you?" Kaisuke asked casually.

"Good senses. You know you don't have to do this. I can look after myself if someone bothers me." Julie said.

"Can you?" Kaisuke laughed and it sent chills down Julie's spine. And it wasn't like the shivers she got when Kurama was near her.

"What's so funny?"

"A frail little thing like you trying to take on someone let's say…as big as me? I find it quite hysterical." His laughter was becoming more maniacal and it was starting to freak Julie out.

"In fact, we should test it out."

"What?" Before Julie had time to react she was slammed against a tree by her throat. Her head throbbed from the sudden impact.

But like with Hiei, Julie didn't scramble to try and pry Kaisuke's hand off and instead glared at him.

Kaisuke was still chuckling, and his red eyes were gleaming with excitement. Fangs protruded from where his upper canines were and small horns curved out of his head. He wasn't bothering with covering his true demon form now.

"I'll give you five seconds to remove your hand or I'll remove it for you." Julie said icily.

"You aren't screaming at the sight of me. So my theory is correct. You do know what I am." Kaisuke said licking his lips. "Good. That makes it all the more interesting. Hearts usually taste better with a bit of fear, but I'm curious as to how yours will taste. A human with spiritual awareness is something I've never had before."

Kaisuke ran the back of his free hand down Julie's cheek. Julie's anger flared and she did the first thing that came to her mind: she spat in his face.

Kaisuke yelled in surprise and disgust and threw Julie to the ground, and in the process, knocking the wind out of her. She stood up, coughing, and rubbed the back of her still throbbing head. She leaned forward a bit when she looked at Kaisuke, who was trying to rub the saliva from his eyes. "So tell me. What gave me away?"

Kaisuke turned and looked at Julie surprised. He thought she would have at least attempted to run. "No girl is impervious to me, when you didn't sway like all the others, I became suspicious."

"Arrogant much." Julie muttered to herself.

"When you turned me down the first time, I began watching you and your reactions when I or other demons came around. You hide yourself well, I'll give you that Julie, but you still show signs that all prey does when a predator is around." Kaisuke smirked and started to circle her. She never took her eyes off him. "The slight loss of color in your rosy cheeks, that brief moment your body freezes up when you realized I or another demon was close, and of course the quickening pace of your beating heart; it was all there. I thought about simply killing you but you just smell too delicious, and your spirit is just too ripe to pass up." He licked his lips.

"So why just not kill me and eat my heart while I was alone?" Julie knew she probably shouldn't be interrogating the guy that wants to kill her, but despite her fear of demons, Julie was curious about them and their thought process. Even if that thought process was about eating her heart.

"I eat the heart while the human is still alive. You were alone but never for long. I had to make sure I had you all to myself for a while, like I do now. Hearts taste so much better if they are eaten slowly." Kaisuke grinned cruelly and licked his lips again.

Julie's heart dropped. This only proved her belief that demons were truly malicious and twisted creatures. "You're a sick fuck you know that?"

Kaisuke smirked sadistically and lunged at Julie.

She reflexively dodged out of the way, and spun her right foot around to land a square kick at the back of Kaisuke's head.

Kaisuke rose from the ground and looked stunned at Julie, but shook his head and charged again. Except when he missed this time he got a kick to the kidney. He stopped and inspected her properly then. "This isn't the first time you've had an encounter with a demon is it?"

Julie smirked at him and shrugged the jacket off her shoulders. "If you thought it was, you are truly a bigger idiot than I thought you were. And for the record, I would have turned you down if you were human, I can't stand it when guys are overly-muscular."

Julie was teasing the lion again, but she really couldn't help it. In the past Julie didn't mess with the few demons that confronted her; she usually got down to the point and killed them as soon as possible. But all the demons before were either intelligent, or fast, so they were a bigger threat. Seeing as Kaisuke was neither smart nor swift, that didn't seem necessary. His roar and charge tactic was pathetic and Julie almost felt stupid for fearing him in the first place.

He charged, again, and Julie pivoted on her left foot at the last second and slammed her right knee into his gut. Kaisuke tumbled to the ground clutching his abdomen.

"I can go at this all night." Julie said and swished her hair out of the way. Kaisuke growled and charged again. Julie rolled her eyes and pivoted out of the way again, but gasped when a sharp pain came from her stomach. She fell back on her back and clutched her stomach to see six long gashes bleeding profusely. She looked up to see Kaisuke smirking with claws extended on his left hand.

Julie sat up a bit but winched when her wound wouldn't let her move further than a sitting position. She cursed herself for being cocky and underestimating him. He had a bit of intelligence in him after all.

"Who's the idiot now?" Kaisuke teased and slowly stalked towards her. She didn't move when he used one of his sharp claws to hold up her chin to look at him. The tip cut her skin and she felt a line of blood running down her throat.

"Such a waste of an attractive thing. If you were not human maybe this would have turned out differently." He then extended the claws on his other hand and positioned them over Julie's heart, ready to cut it out. "I can't promise it will be quick. The slower the heart is removed, the better. The adrenaline that is pumped through the veins gives it a delicious crispy flavor that I just love. But I'll try to make it quick. You were fun so I can provide you that kindness."

Julie narrowed her eyes. "I don't take charity from demons."

Kaisuke chuckled. "Incredible. Do you not realize you are about to die? Do you think you're going to be rescued or-"

He stopped, his words caught in his throat. Kaisuke's eyes widened as he looked at Julie in the utmost shock. Then he fell backwards with a large hole where his heart once was.

Julie's hand was raised and smoke was rising from her fingertips. Her breathing was erect and the hand that was clutching her bleeding wounds shook. She glared at the dead demon in front of her. "What makes you think I need rescuing?"

* * *

Julie didn't move until she could confirm the demon wasn't going to get up again (she's had that happen before).

"Fuck…" Julie groaned as fell back and curling into a ball, still cradling her injured stomach. Blood was leaking in between her fingers now.

"Hey. You alright? You took a nasty hit there." Julie already knew who it was before she felt their calloused hand lightly touched her shoulder, and she groaned again. This time in frustration.

"You have got to be kidding me."

Julie turned her head from the ground to have her eyes conform that it was Yusuke who was kneeling over her. Kuwabara, Kurama, and Hiei were also there. "I'll give you guy's one thing. You're defiantly persistent. How much of that did you see?" Julie laughed dryly but stopped when the movement stung the gashes.

"The entire time, we followed you as soon as you left the party." Kuwabara said.

"How did I not sense you then?" Julie asked.

"We covered our energies, a simple trick when one does not wish to be detected. Kurama said stepping to the side Julie was facing and kneeled over her as well.

Julie flushed when Kurama kneeled only inches away from her, the Craving felt like it was clawing at her belly, begging to get to Kurama. She tried to move away from him, but hissed from the pain in her stomach.

Try moving as little as possible, Julie. You'll only injure yourself further." Kurama said.

"Uh…I'm fine. Seriously, they're shallow cuts. I've had worse."

"Had worse? How many times has this happened?" Yusuke asked narrowing his eyes.

"More times than I care to recall." Julie said as she went to sit up, biting her lip to keep from crying out.

_God, I'm being such a baby about a few cuts,_ Julie scorned herself.

"Hey, watch it! You're going to really hurt yourself, Julie!" Kuwabara said.

"I'm fine." Julie snapped, annoyed that they were coddling her like a child. "I need to get home is all." She said, ignoring the pain, and pushed herself up, but stumbled a bit. Kurama and Yusuke stood up with her, prepared to catch her if she did fall.

Julie found this curious. If they were going to take her to their boss then why haven't they? They had more than enough opportunities where she wouldn't be able to defend herself. Why were they helping her like they were friends? She hadn't done anything for them to earn such a kindness.

"Maybe you should go see a doctor?" Kuwabara said.

"Idiot, and what would she tell a _human_ healer? That she got those marks from a bear or some other wild animal? Those marks look nothing like a beast's claw." Hiei sneered at Kuwabara as he eyed the six jagged red lines.

"Why do you always have to talk down to me, huh shrimp? I'm just trying to help!" Kuwabara screamed at Hiei.

"I agree with Kuwabara but I think it would be better if we took her to one of Koenma's healers instead." Kurama said, looking intently at Julie.

"I'm not going anywhere except home." Julie said, annoyed that they were discussing this in the first place, and started walking away.

"Wait-" Kurama said and, without thinking, reached forward and grasped Julie's bare upper arm.

Julie gasped and her eyes dilated as the Craving screamed in bliss at Kurama's touch. Julie's legs gave out and she crumpled back, making Kurama catch her with his body and go down with her.

Julie's body went completely haywire. With the Craving, it felt like little shocks of electricity was sent to ever nerve in her skin that Kurama touched. The Craving spread from her stomach and reached up to her heart, making it beat what felt like ten times faster than it should. Then it reached her lungs, making her breath irregular. The Craving spread until every nerve was on fire. It felt terrible. It felt wonderful. It took every part of Julie's being to fight the Craving and not further the contact she had with Kurama.

Julie gripped Kurama's sleeves, afraid she'd be lost to this irrational thing inside of her if she let go. She was able to look up and see Kurama's eyes were a mixture of emotions. The most obvious was shock, but it was extremely clouded by confusion and…restraint. His brow was crumpled as he looked at Julie, and he jaw was as tense as his hands were on Julie's arms.

Julie's lungs then convulsed and she coughed violently. Panic welded up inside of her now, mixing with everything else. It was too much for her to handle. With one last look at Kurama, Julie collapsed into black.

* * *

"Over the centuries, mankind has tried many ways of combating the forces of evil…prayer, fasting, good works and so on. Up until Doom, no one seems to have thought about the double-barrel shotgun. Eat leaden death, demon. ~Terry Prachett

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Hope you enjoyed this chapter, and enjoy yourselves until next Saturday=) And please tell me what you think! Do you like it? Love it? Hate it?

Reviews appreciated=)

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	5. The Anthem of A New Bond

Oh my gosh I'm so happy right now guys, I got reviews=) =) =) I'll respond to my reviewer (just for future reference) cause I always like it when the authors I review respond to me=) it makes me feel special haha. Any who just ignore these if you want.

**EnnaBella**: Thank you, I'm glad you are enjoying it=) and you are my first reviewer to this story! Yay=)

**Secret. Fairytale**: Haha wow that review totally made my day! And there is so much to respond too! First I'm glad you think I'm keeping Kurama in character, I was really worried if I was going to be able to get him right or not, but don't judge him yet. I have more self made dialogue for him in future chapters that I'm not sure if it'll sound like him. If not please keep me posted and I'll try to fix him. Lol. And I love emotion in words (You're only a little crazy, haha jk jk) I'm glad you do too though=) And I hope my writing is good! I re-read these chapters like 3-5 times each looking for mistakes. And Last, I'd love to update more than once a week but with school, sports, and my semi-life once a week is all I really have time for. And my other stories are sadly being neglected right now which I feel kinda bad, but my muse is only concentrating on this story right now. Lol. I'll try to get to my other ones too though. Thanks for the review! Like I said, it made my day=)

Disclaimer: I do not own Yu Yu Hakusho. I use the characters and plot for recreational use only!

Claimer: I own Julie and Megumi fully and lovingly=)

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**Chapter 5: The Anthem of a New Bond**

* * *

"Gez, what did you do to her, Kurama?"

"Believe me Yusuke, nothing I consciously was aware of. I had no intention of hurting her, and it surprised me just as much as the rest of you."

"Hn. At least we were able to bring her here without a commotion."

"Yea but I feel dirty about it. I at least wanted her to be conscious when we brought her here."

Julie groaned, making the Renkai team fall silent and look at the girl lying on the small cot. Her eyes cracked open before squinting shut because of the bright florescent lights.

"Looks like Sleeping Beauty decided to finally wake up." Julie cracked one eye open to see Yusuke smiling cheekily at her. He, Kuwabara, and Kurama were sitting around her bed and Hiei was standing against the wall not too far away.

"So it wasn't a dream." She groaned before sitting up and leaned her head back against the headboard and looking at the four males around her. "Tell me something. Why is it, here lately, when I wake up you four are in the same building?"

Kuwabara and Yusuke chuckled and Hiei huffed. Kurama however, wasn't amused. "Are you alright, Julie? I apologize for hurting you, but understand I didn't realize that would happen."

Julie turned her full focus on Kurama. He sat farther away from her than Kuwabara and Yusuke, and he was almost as far as Hiei. He was keeping his distance.

Julie appreciated that, but her Craving didn't. Julie scolded herself and mentally pushed back the Craving. She would not let it get out of control again.

Shaking her head, Julie looked at Kurama and said, "Yeah, I'm fine. I…" Julie paused when she glanced at her stomach and realized she wasn't wearing the shirt she was earlier. She was now wearing a black shirt that slightly hung off one shoulder because it was too big on her small frame. She was still wearing her old holy jeans, but her shoes were gone. Julie pulled up the shirt to see the wounds were completely gone. She knew they would be though; they always healed within a couple of hours. What she didn't know was how she had gotten a different shirt, or how she wound up in a bed. Julie looked around the room to see different colored ogre looking beings running around the room and many beds against the walls. She wasn't in a familiar place. She didn't recognize anything. "Where am I?"

"You're in Spirit World." Yusuke replied.

"Spirit World? What is that?" Julie asked while sitting up and crossing her legs.

All the boys looked at her rather blankly. "You…don't know what Spirit World is?" Yusuke asked incredulously.

Julie looked at him with a raised eyebrow. "Am I suppose to?"

"Well we kinda figured you would, seeing as how you know about demons and everything." Yusuke scratched the back of his head.

"I think it would be best if we continue this conversation with Koenma. I think she can answer our questions there. And I'm sure you have some questions of your own." Kurama smiled at Julie kindly as he stood up. The Craving throbbed and made Julie's gut twist and her face flush. She looked down, allowing her black hair to veil her blush, and stood up with everyone else.

She felt a lot better now that her shallow wounds were gone and her energy back to its normal level, so she had no trouble moving about.

"Well you seem more cooperative." Yusuke said smugly as they began walking out of what Julie presumed to be an injury ward.

She shrugged her shoulders. "You've already got me here. Might as well see what you guys want so badly. And besides, if you were going to kill or torture me, like I figured you would, you would have already done it."

"Kill or torture you?" Kuwabara laughed. "What made you think we'd do that? We're the good guys."

Julie casted a dark look over her shoulder at Kuwabara. "Good guys? Demons?" Julie glanced at Hiei and Kurama before looking back at Kuwabara. "I've never dealt with a good demon, or those who are associated with them for that matter. Forgive me for my cynics, but I have my reasons. Not one demon that I had come across was ever 'good'. They were all sadistic and unforgiving beings. I've been forced to hid or fight them for years so I wouldn't be killed. I have every reason to believe demons aren't the 'good guys'."

To everyone's surprise Hiei chuckled.

"What are you laughing at, shrimp?" Kuwabara asked, giving Hiei a weird look.

"Yes Hiei, I fail to see the humor in this." Kurama said. If he was offended by what Julie had said she couldn't tell. Julie had to admit to herself that Kurama has been the…nicest demon she has met. But then again he wasn't completely demon.

Hiei turned a condescending eye to the group. "Because of all the humans I've bothered to speak with, she is the first to have the correct perspective on demons. Yusuke and the oaf acted like we were no different than just more powerful version of their species. They don't have the understanding to fear demons. But she, a female, has perceived demons to their pinpoint characteristics, and is smart enough to avoid them. And yet she doesn't even know what Spirit World is. I find it highly amusing."

"And what does being a female have to do with anything?" Julie asked putting her hands on her hips.

Hiei looked at Julie for a fleeting second before flickering out of sight with a "Hn."

"Take it as a complement. It seems Hiei is warming up to you." Kurama smiled at Julie, who was _not_ warming up to Hiei so much and crossed her arms defiantly.

She then remembered something she was meaning to ask from the beginning. "How did I get this shirt?" Julie pulled at some of the soft material.

"Well after you fainted we took you to the injury ward. We didn't realize you had that little healing trick." Yusuke explained before grinning mischievously at Julie. She raised an eyebrow at him. "What are you grinning at?"

"Well the healers were so freaked out by your wounds that they went straight to work on ya. Of course they had to get that mangled shirt out of the way first." Yusuke wiggled an eyebrow at her.

Julie blushed a whole new shade of red and she scoffed in disgust when she realized what Yusuke was hinting at. Before Yusuke could even react he got a hard fist to the right cheek sending him to the floor.

"Pervert." Julie said crossing her arms over her chest and glared at Yusuke with a blush still on her cheeks.

"Damn, I was just kidding. We didn't see anything." Yusuke held his swelling cheek as he glared back up at Julie. "But nice left hook. Best one that's ever hit me, actually." Yusuke's glare melted into a look of amusement and admiration, and he smirked at Julie before holding out his hand towards her.

She looked at his hand before cracking a grin. "It's the best one you'll ever get too." Yusuke and Julie laughed before she grabbed his hand and helped him to his feet.

They arrived at a massive set of doors that towered all the way to the ceiling. Yusuke pushed them open and walked in like he owned the place. "Yo! Binky-breath! We got her!"

"Yusuke, don't call me that! How many times do I have to tell you?" A loud voice screamed. Julie walked in with Kuwabara and Kurama behind her, and saw a fairly vacant room besides two beings at a desk in the center of it. One was a blue ogre looking thing with a small horn on its forehead, and the other was a toddler sitting behind a desk with a pacifier in his mouth and the word Jr. on his forehead.

_That's not odd looking._ Julie thought sarcastically.

The toddler then sat up in his chair and smiled at Julie behind his pacifier.

"Welcome, Julie. My name is Koenma, I am the ruler of Spirit World, and this is my assistant Jorge."

Julie blinked. _The baby…just talked…_

Julie didn't say anything and Koenma started to feel uncomfortable in the pregnant silence. Finally she pointed at Koenma and looked at Yusuke, who was watching with sheer enjoyment on his face, and said very evenly, "The baby…just…talk?"

Yusuke and Kuwabara fell to the floor laughing and even the ogre and Kurama were having trouble containing their sniggers.

The baby looked extremely irritated. "I'm not a baby. I'm the ruler of Spirit World and many _many_ decades older than you."

Julie stepped up to the desk and leaned over it to get a closer look at "the ruler of Spirit World."

Koenma grew a bit red in the cheeks and sat back. He was uncomfortable with a woman being so close to him like that.

"Huh. You're definitely something I haven't ever seen before. I mean, a human toddler isn't something I pictured a demon would look like. It's so…innocent."

Yusuke and Kuwabara were crying because they were laughing so hard now, and Koenma turned a whole new shade of red.

"I'm not a demon, nor am I human. I'm the ruler of the Spirit World, the Renkai." Koenma said after clearing his throat.

"Yea, you keep saying that. What exactly is Spirit World?" Julie asked and stepped back from the desk a couple of feet to get a better look at Koenma.

Koenma blink and looked at Julie, obviously surprised. "You don't know?"

Julie was becoming a little irksome now. "You know I got the same reaction from them," Julie jabbed her thumb back at Yusuke, Kuwabara, and Kurama. "Could someone not look at me like I'm brainless and tell me what it is?"

Koenma seemed to snap out of his disclosure. "I apologize. It's just that I thought you would since you already know about the supernatural."

Julie crossed her arms under her chest and shifted her weight to one foot. "I only know what I've experienced. No one has ever truly explained this whole…'other worlds' stuff to me. I've only had rough encounters with demons; a few were loud mouths and blabbed things about their world to me. Other than that it's been educated guesses."

Koenma nodded his head. "I see. Well to summarize it, Spirit World is the third realm; the others are the demon world, or the Makai, and the human world, the Ninkai. We make sure that demons, or at least high class demons, do not slip past the barrier and into the Ninkai. Also this is where human souls come after their bodies die. You have met Botan, correct?"

Julie nodded her head.

"She is the Pilot of the River Styx. Or a more common term for her is the Grim Reaper. She guides the souls to the Renkai." Koenma paused to let Julie soak all this information up before continuing. "Now, Yusuke, I want you and the others to leave my office for a few minutes."

Yusuke wasn't too excited to hear that. "Why's that?"

Koenma sighed. "I need to speak with Julie privately. I shouldn't have to explain myself to you. I said I wouldn't harm her."

"Yea, yea. You better not."

Julie was kind of shocked to hear that. As she watched Yusuke, Kurama, and Kuwabara leave she couldn't help think: _Why would Yusuke care if I was harmed?_

Kurama was the last to leave the room and Julie caught his eye for a moment. He paused and looked at her in a way that Julie couldn't fathom. Then he shut the door with a click, leaving Julie and Koenma and Jorge alone.

"Alright Julie I'm going to get right down to business. I'm sure you're wondering why I had you hunted down and brought here, correct?"

Julie nodded her head.

"Well it's very rare for a human to have such heightened spiritual awareness, about one in every 15 million if I remember the ratio correctly. But when a human, such as you, is discovered it is my job to deal with it. Humans aren't supposed to know about the Spirit and Demon worlds. It causes…problems. Conspiracies are started, murders are committed, riots are made; it's not a pretty ordeal. We have to get rid of the problem before it starts."

Julie tensed. She realized what Koenma was getting at. It is his job to kill off the spiritually aware that could possible threaten to reveal the other worlds to other humans. And she was classified in that category.

Koenma saw her tense and put his hands up. "Don't worry, Julie. I'm not going to kill you. Even if Yusuke didn't make me swear not to hurt you I wasn't going to."

"Why did he do that?" Julie interrupted Koenma.

"What?"

"Why did Yusuke make you promise not to hurt me? I haven't done anything for him. Hell, I didn't even meet him until a few hours ago."

Koenma sat back in his chair and got comfortable before answering. "That's where you're wrong, Julie. You have done something for Yusuke that he will never forget. You protected Keiko when he couldn't. And for that you have a respect from Yusuke that not many others have."

"I didn't…" Julie started but then remembered a few days ago with the zombie incident.

* * *

Damn it. I can't deflect them all._ Julie thought in frustration and moved her body so it was protecting Keiko and Botan as much as possible. "Keiko, I'm going to try and fight off as many of them as possible, I want you to take Botan and get out of here as soon as I clear a path. Do you understand?"_

* * *

"Oh." Julie bit her bottom lip.

"Now. The reason that I did ask you hear is because I want to ask you a few questions. Go ahead and have a seat." Koenma motioned Julie to sit the chair across from him. Julie sat with her feet up and crossed in the chair, and waited for the inquiry to come.

"First thing I'd like to know is how long have you been able to see demons?"

Julie chewed on her lip as she tried to remember that far back. "The first time…I recall seeing a demon was when I was three years old."

Koenma obviously didn't expect that answer since his eyes grew remarkably wide, but Jorge was the first to say something. "A three year old? How is that possible? To develop a spiritual awareness at such an early age is remarkable. Are you sure?"

Julie nodded her head. "Yea. It scared me nearly half to death. I had no clue what it was, but I can still remember it like it was yesterday."

Koenma nodded his head and Jorge started writing down notes.

"And what after that?" Koenma asked, sitting back in the armchair and lacing his fingers together.

"After that everything got worse. Demon appearances became more…frequent and vivid. What I mean by vivid is, I was able to see every demon on the street, whether they were disguised as humans or invisible to the human eye. I thought I had gone insane at that point truthfully. Nobody believed me of course." Julie frowned now and looked at her hands with gloom in her eyes. "When my parents wanted to send me to a shrink I stopped trying to convince them of what I saw. I knew I was insane, but I didn't want them to think I was too."

"Julie you're not insane. Just extremely spiritual aware, just like Yusuke and Kuwabara are." Koenma said.

"It's comforting to know that I'm not the only one, but it doesn't change anything. So I just pretended that I didn't see them. They usually ignore me like every other human but a few, like Kaisuke, realize I can see them. Some don't care, but others do. Some want to actually kill me and others just liked terrorizing me; hence why I didn't want to go anywhere with Yusuke and Kuwabara, and especially not Kurama and Hiei."

"Usually my people are able to find spiritually aware humans. And since you developed your senses so early it surprises me that we didn't find you sooner. Do you have any clue as to why that might be?"

Julie chewed on her bottom lip again, thinking of a good reason. "Maybe it's because I was in the foster program for the past seven years. My parents died when I was ten and I've been tossed around from home to home ever since. I'm here in Japan because my grandparents found me and adopted me. So you probably couldn't get a good trace on me because I was moving so much."

"That's a good theory. Better than any of the ones I've come up with." Koenma said.

"Now, last question. From what I understand you were actually good at holding your own against Kaisuke. Did someone teach you to fight and use your spirit energy?" Koenma asked.

Julie laughed a bit. "Well when I came home with bruises and scars from demon attacks my parents thought I was being bullied by kids at school. They were only half right." Julie laughed bitterly some more. "They enrolled me into mix martial arts classes. They were big on me defending myself. Turned out I was naturally good at fighting and I've practiced on my own. As for my spirit energy I happened on that by chance. I somehow killed a demon with it when I was eleven years old. I've learned to control it for the most part, but not entirely."

"Can you show us?" Koenma asked sitting forward.

Julie nodded her head and put her palm out, face up. She closed her eyes and concentrated her energy into her hand and the air around it. Koenma and Jorge watched her and didn't see anything happen, but then they heard crackling like that of electrical currents, and they could feel it too. Then black sparks sprang from the middle of her palm and circled around her hand in chaotic uniform. "I'm able to manipulate electrical currents and bend them to my will." To prove her point she moved her fingers and the black currents shifted their flow to swirl around them as well. "They are only black when they derive from my own spirit energy; if I use natural lightning it stays the same color."

"How interesting." Koenma looked up at nothing for a while before turning his attention back to Julie. She released her energy and the black electricity disappeared. "Julie I'd like you to join my team."

"You'd like me to what?" Julie asked, not really understanding.

"I'd like you to be partners with Yusuke and be a spirit detective. You will help him investigated supernatural phenomena in the human world and capture criminals dealing in underworld crime. It's just like a human detective but it deals with the other two worlds."

Julie looked at Koenma with passive eyes. "Isn't that what Kuwabara, Kurama, and Hiei are?"

Koenma shook his head. "Kuwabara isn't a spirit detective. He's not obligated like Yusuke is to work for me. Kurama and Hiei are criminals that are paying off their dept instead of rotting in jail."

Julie chewed on her bottom lip again, but this time harder than before. It sounded like a pretty cool job, but then again she had been hiding from demons all her life just to avoid contact with them. Yet this job was an opportunity for Julie to get back at the things that have haunted and terrified her as a child. The thing is: they still haunted and terrified her.

"Julie, you don't have to make your decision right now. You can take all the time you need and just call on this when you decide." Koenma held out a compact mirror, like the one that had fallen out of Botan's pocket when she was hit in the head about a week ago. Julie reached out and took the mirror and popped it open. There wasn't powder and a mirror, but a screen and a bunch of lights and buttons.

Julie closed the communicator and looked up at Koenma and Jorge who were watching her. She stood up and pocketed the device before smiling at Koenma. "Thanks for the giving me time to make a choice but I hate dragging things out. I've already made my decision. I'll do it."

Koenma and Jorge smiled widely. "Excellent! Welcome to the team Julie!" Koenma hopped up and pressed the button on his desk. "Send them back in."

A few moments later Yusuke, Kurama, Kuwabara, and Hiei walked into the office. "So what's going on?" Yusuke asked.

"You've got a new partner." Julie smirked.

* * *

"It is better to conquer yourself than to win a thousand battles. Then the victory is yours. It cannot be taken from you, not by angels or by demons, heaven or hell. ~Gautama Buddha

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Did anyone catch the start of the bondage between Yusuke and Julie? =) I thought a punch to the face would be a good start ;)

Next time on **All But Forgotten**:

"_Find the detective. Koenma has a new mission for the both of you." Hiei said in a board tone._

And

_Just as Julie grabbed the pills her legs gave out on her from the lack of oxygen, causing her to fall to the floor. Trying to keep her panic from rising, Julie twisted off the cap with her blood covered hand and dumped some of the small tablets into her shaking hand, knocked back her head, and swallowed them._

Reviews much appreciated=) Have a good life until next Saturday ;)

-Love mucho, blue


	6. The Anthem of A Destressed Demoness

Hey everybody, sorry for not updating this yesterday, but I have a good reason! I kinda had a surprise hot tub party thing last night, and if was tones of fun=) And people stayed a lot later than I thought they would and by the time everyone left it was past twelve…so ya…my social life got in the way. Not exactly the best reason but hey, at least I updated today. Oh and another thing, when I was typing this up I was laughing at the fact they used tapes and VCRs. It's just funny to me because I'm so use to DVDs, it kinda shows how old this anime is. But it's one of my favorites=) And this chapter is the longest yet so maybe some reviews? Please? Right, ranting done. So the usual shall follow.

.: You're the shit. Even if you are crazy. Nuff said=)

Disclaimer: I do not own Yu Yu Hakusho. I borrow the characters and plot for recreational use only!

Claimer: I own Julie and Megumi fully and lovingly=)

* * *

**Chapter 6: The Anthem of A Distressed Demoness**

* * *

"I hate Mondays." Julie said to herself as she walked towards Sarayashiki High School.

Very little had happened since last Friday where Julie agreed to her new employment. Heck, the most exciting thing was the Death Race movie she watched on Saturday night with a big bag of popcorn. But now it was back to her every day routine. The only thing she was looking forward to was seeing the giant bruise she had given Mr. Yuamoto when he was a zombie.

"To bad he won't remember it was me who gave it to him." Julie grumbled before stopping mid-step when she sensed a demonic presents behind her. Whipping her head around, Julie came face to face with a bored looking fire demon.

"Oh, morning Hiei." Julie managed to give him a small smile. Despite the knowledge that Hiei wasn't going to hurt her, Julie was still wary of him. It was nothing personal, just a life time of survival instincts was screaming in her head that Hiei was the enemy, and it was either fight or flight. Never had she thought she was going to have a civil conversation with a demon, let alone work with one.

This was going to be a very hard habit to break.

"Find the detective. Koenma has a new mission for the both of you." Hiei said in a board tone.

Julie assumed that "the detective" was Yusuke, and nodded her head. "Um…alright. Thanks."

"Hn." Hiei flickered out of sight without another word.

Julie stood in her place for a few seconds before shrugging her shoulders and continuing her walk to school.

* * *

"God, made it." Julie said as she sat in her first period seat right before the bell rang and Mr. Yuamoto walked in.

As Julie pulled out her supplies from her bag she heard her fellow classmates snickering and whispering to each other. Before she was able to figure out what was with the sudden commotion, Megumi leaned over to Julie in a mimic of her classmates.

"Dude, what happened to Mr. Stick-up-his-ass?"

Julie instantly shifted her eyes to her teacher and, when she saw what Megumi meant, bit her tongue to keep from laughing.

Mr. Yuamoto had a bitter look on his face as he was taking today's lecture out of his briefcase. Under his thick rimmed glasses were two bruises right under his eyes, and his nose was slightly swelled.

Julie nonchalantly shrugged her shoulders as she leaned back in her seat; the smirk on her face betrayed the jester though, as the satisfaction swelled within her. She looked over to where Keiko was sitting and caught her eye.

Keiko had conflicting emotions running across her face as she too didn't like Mr. Yuamoto much, but he was a teacher and the good student inside of her said it was wrong to take satisfaction from this.

Julie didn't have a problem with it though and winked at Keiko.

"Quiet down everyone!" Mr. Yuamoto snapped, finally having enough of the hushed gossip that he knew was about his new skin coloration. The door opened then, making everyone turn to see Yusuke walking in, wearing a green version of the boy's uniform.

"Urameshi! You're late!" Mr. Yuamoto snapped at Yusuke who waved him off like an annoying fly.

"Yeah, yeah, don't act so surprised."

"I should give you a detention, but seeing as it's so rare for you to try and increase your intelligence I'll let it slide for today." Mr. Yuamoto smirked.

Yusuke stopped walking to his seat and turned to give Mr. Yuamoto a cold glare and a nasty retort, but stopped upon seeing his face. Yusuke's scowl turned into a smug smirk. "Thanks, I have much more important things to do after school anyway. Nice shiners by the way. Did those three year olds mug you again?"

The class burst into laughter as Mr. Yuamoto turned beet red.

"Sit down, before I change my mind!"

Yusuke didn't need to be told twice. He turned to see the only free seat was in the very back, right behind Julie. He gave her a half smirk as he sat down and Mr. Yuamoto began the lesson.

A few minutes into the lesson Julie felt something poke her in the back. She glanced out of the corner of her eye to see a note being held out to her.

She stealthily took the note and slid it under her desk to read it. Yusuke's handwriting was sloppy and pretty hard to read, but Julie was able to manage.

_Koenma has an assignment for us__._

Julie glanced up to see if Mr. Yuamoto had his back to them before scribbling her reply.

_I know. I ran into Hiei on the way to school this morning. He told me to find you. When are we going to get the case info?_

Julie slid the note under her arm and angled her hand for Yusuke to take it. She felt the piece of paper slip out of her fingers and waited until she felt it being placed back, before drawing her hand back.

_I met Hiei earlier too. That's why I was late. He gave me a tape for us to watch. Kuwabara has a VCR at home so we'll go there to watch it. Meet me at the South Entrance after school and we'll go from there._

_Alright._ Julie replied and handed back the note, ending the conversation. She felt a tap on her shoulder again a few seconds later, though. Surprised, she grabbed the paper and read: _I see Yuamoto met you're left hook._

* * *

"Okay Botan! What kind of explanation did you give Keiko? She thinks I'm a freaking intern at some after school program…for juvenile delinquents!" Yusuke yelled at the sheepish looking Grim Reaper.

"Well I had to make up something believable to make up for your absence without mentioning the spiritual world! The basic tenet of Spirit World is it can't run properly if normal humans have proof of it!" Botan said.

"Well you made me sound lame." Yusuke grumbled.

"She has a point though, Yusuke." Julie said from her spot against the wall. "If every human learned that Spirit World is real, how do you think they would react? Keiko wouldn't believe you anyway, and it's better that way."

"I just love being tagged teamed." Yusuke grumbled.

"Enough already! Can we please just start watching the video instead of arguing? You guys are going to annoy my sister." Kuwabara said before turning around to put the tape in the VCR. "Now one more thing before I press play, Urameshi. Whatever kind of mission this is, there is no way I'm getting involved!"

Julie didn't really blame Kuwabara. He and Yusuke told her what had happened during the demon bug invasion. From what she understood Kuwabara had almost gotten killed several times and Yusuke barely defeated the last Saint Beast and was out for three days. Julie was starting to wonder if accepting the position of another spirit detective was a good idea.

"Okay, just start the tape already!" Yusuke said impatiently.

The video started like a movie would, with the producer advertisement at the beginning, even though it was just Koenma holding up a torch and a cartoon ogre "snarling".

"They go all out, huh?" Kuwabara said dryly.

"Either he's full of himself, or he's really bored." Yusuke dead panned.

The screen panned to a dark room where they could only see Koenma sitting in a comfy arm chair. "Welcome, how do you like my video?" He asked.

"I think he's just really bored." Julie chuckled.

"The great Koenma, the ruler of Spirit World, has another important case for you." Koenma continued. "This mission will be another doozy. I hope you will survive."

"Well that's great encouragement for a first mission." Julie muttered under her breath.

"By the way, don't worry about people entering the room. This video is encrypted to where only people with heightened spirit awareness can watch it. To normal humans it will just look like fuzz.

"Now, you're mission is search and rescue, except without the searching. Now watch my magic finger trick." Koenma snapped his fingers and the screen changed to a forest scene.

"That was just a cheap camera trick!" Yusuke yelled, agitated.

"This looks hard, Urameshi." Kuwabara said sarcastically.

"Shut up!"

Koenma went on to say that the captive they were to rescue was being held in a mountain stronghold a far ways away from where Julie and Yusuke lived. Human criminals had captured a very rare species of demon, an ice apparition named Yukina. The criminals had captured her because of the Hiraseki gems she produces when she cries. They apparently sell for high prices on the black market because they are so rare. The criminals were making Yukina produce these tear gems at an unnatural pace, or in other words torturing her.

The screen then showed a very short man with a very unattractive face. It looked like he had tumors or growths under his skin because of how uneven it was. Ganzu Tarukina was the man's name, and he was the boss of the entire ordeal.

"He's too ugly to be a human!" Kuwabara said.

"He's too ugly to be anything." Yusuke said.

"Here are the most recent pictures we have of Yukina." Koenma's voice said as the tape paneled to a few pictures of a girl that looked younger than Julie did, but Julie knew she probably wasn't.

The demon girl was pretty. She had mint green hair that was tied back with a red ribbon that was the same color red as her eyes, and her small body was wrapped in a traditional light blue kimono.

"This mission goes far beyond jewelry thieves. It is imperative that you bring her back quickly."

"Oh I feel awful for her." Botan said as she paused the tape.

Suddenly Kuwabara stood up on his feet, his eyes transfigured on the screen in front of him.

"What's his deal?" Yusuke asked. "You look miserable." Yusuke said seeing Kuwabara's red face.

"I…think I'm in love." Kuwabara said.

"What?" Julie and Yusuke said at the same time.

"Well come on, Urameshi! Let's send those bad guys to the moon!" Kuwabara said, striking a pose.

"I thought you weren't coming." Yusuke said.

"Shut up! Don't try to dress up the facts. I'm a good friend, and I can't let you go save her alone! She's suffering!"

Julie heard a noise behind her and turned to see Shizuru standing in the doorway of Kuwabara's room. Everyone else noticed Julie and turned to see her too.

"How long have you been there?" Botan asked surprised.

"Calm down, princess. I just heard you watching that weirdo movie, and I thought you'd like some kiddy snacks." Shizuru said coolly, the cigarette bobbing up and down as she talked.

"We're just watching fuzz." Yusuke said.

"Yea…uh…we find it relaxing." Julie said, trying to act cool and what not.

"Then I must have imagined the talking baby giving you orders."

"Uh…kids these days with their wild imaginations." Yusuke said.

"Smooth, Yusuke." Julie deadpanned.

"Give it up you guys. Spirit awareness must run in the Kuwabara family." Botan sighed.

"Okay, Shizuru you win! Now can we have some money for the bus? Like maybe a million or so? That's enough right?" Kuwabara asked.

"Kid, for a million bucks you can take a bus to Hawaii. Here's fifty." Shizuru pulled out her wallet and tossed it to her brother.

"Okay, I'll see you guys in a couple of days!" Kuwabara yelled, already down the hallway.

"Do you think he knows the way to the mountain?" Botan asked.

"Doubt it. Is he always like this?" Julie asked.

Everyone nodded their heads.

"That's my baby brother, better eat your snacks. It will take him a couple of hours for him to realize he doesn't know where he's going." Shizuru said as she walked in and placed the tray on the ground. "Let's watch the rest of that video."

Julie shrugged her shoulders and pressed play on the VCR. Koenma's face popped back onto the screen.

"In closing, I must tell you this case is quite delicate. You see this ice apparition is not just some Jane Doe. Yukina is Hiei's sister."

"WHAT?"

* * *

_Cold. Very Cold._

_And dark. There wasn't any light besides the small amount that came through the barred window._

_The air in the room was thin, and dry. Whatever breeze that the window let through was frozen by the ice apparition sitting next to it. She faced the wall, and was as still as a statue._

_Power. Immense power was drawing near._

_The door to the room opened and the power flowed in, enveloping the room. Four men had entered but the power was only emitting from two._

_The two powerful ones stepped forward towards the ice apparition. Energy crackled in the air._

_She was warning him not to come near._

_He ignored her._

_With a flick of his hand a shallow cut appeared on her cheek. She didn't flinch. She didn't even act like the men were in the room. The cut was nothing compared to what she has had in the past few months. Pain had become habitual. She would not give in._

_Fluttering._

_Panic now flowed from the girl. She snapped her eyes to the window. Her birds were outside. They wanted to help her._

_She shouted at them to leave. They didn't._

_She cared for them. The powerful men saw this._

_The other powerful being stretched his fingers, inhumanly, to snatch the birds and pull them inside the prison._

_The girl pleaded for them to stop. She even ran at them. The larger one swatted her away like a fly._

_She pleaded again. It was in vain._

_The fingers squeezed the fragile birds and crushed them until they stopped their songs._

_Broken hearted, the girl screamed. Tears ran down her face and landed with a clatter on the floor as they hardened into stones._

Julie sat up with a start. She was in her room, in her bed. Not in that horrible place.

She raised her hand and swiped off some sweat that had dropped from her forehead. Then she rested her head in her hands and her elbows on her knees.

"Yukina…"

Julie started shaking, and then she was crying. She had felt everything that the ice apparition had. The dull pain that throbbed from the previous sessions of torture, the fear of the two powerful men, the heart break of losing the only friends she had in that godforsaken place.

Julie had never felt pity for a demon before…but this…this girl: innocent, pure, kind hearted…she was no demon. The men in that room were the demons. Those cruel, greed, sadistic men…

Then her throat constricted, making Julie stop her deep sobbing intakes of breath. The loss of air forced her lungs to try clearing her throat. Julie coughed, but when she did, something came up. Blood. She couldn't stop coughing and she quickly made her way to the bathroom.

Flicking on the lights, she rushed to her sink and spit the blood that had collected in her mouth before the next fit came up. Julie opened up the cabinet above the sink with one hand as the other covered her mouth. Her shaking hand knocked over a bottle of vitamins as she tried reaching for the pills a doctor had prescribed to her.

Just as Julie grabbed the pills her legs gave out on her from the lack of oxygen, causing her to fall to the floor. Trying to keep her panic from rising, Julie twisted off the cap with her blood covered hand and dumped some of the small tablets into her shaking hand, knocked back her head, and swallowed them. Another coughing fit followed, but luckily the pills were too far down to come back up. A few more minutes passed before Julie was able to breathe regularly again.

Tired from the attack and the late hour of the night, Julie couldn't find the energy to get up and walk back to her bed. So instead, she laid her head on the cool tile floor and closed her eyes.

* * *

Getting into the mansion was a lot easier than Julie thought it would. She, Yusuke, Kuwabara, and Botan only had minor difficulty with the low level demons that were guarding the place Yukina was in. It was only a matter of time before the four were at the front doors of the mansion.

"Fancy place they've got here." Yusuke said as they walked into the entrance room.

"Careful, I'm sensing higher levels of energy coming from up ahead. The security is getting tighter." Julie said as they followed Kuwabara's "String of Love."

Sure enough when they opened the door Kuwabara lead them to a demoness who was standing in the middle of the hall. She introduced herself as Miyuki, the first of the Triad as she placed a hand on her hip that was clayed in a small kimono style fighting dress that had a slit going all the way up her leg.

"Which one of you strapping young fighters do I have the pleasure of fighting first?" She said, with a smirk playing on her blue lips.

"No way!" Kuwabara said. "You're a girl! I can't fight girls, it's against my code. Come on guys, let's just walk past her."

Annoyance flickered through Julie when Kuwabara said this. As valiant as that may be it, it was demining. She chose to let it slide, knowing that Kuwabara meant well and didn't know any better.

"Oh, a gentleman," Miyuki said sarcastically. "A pawn of insecure males, seeking to own their women."

"Whoa! I don't know anything about that," Kuwabara said, quickly backtracking. "Guys just don't fight girls. Julie, why don't you take this one?"

"I'll fight her." Yusuke said.

"Urameshi, are you serious?"

"She's a fighter and she's trying to get in our way. I don't care if she's a girl, a baby, or somebody's grandma. I'll still knock her out."

The demoness jumped back and got into a fighting stance. "It's an equal playing field and anything goes."

"But let me check first to make sure." Yusuke said and ran at her. She did likewise.

Julie scoffed when the first attack was over. "Was that really necessary, Yusuke?" Julie yelled at him as he stood up.

The flustered Miyuki stood up as well and glared at him with everything she had. "You pervert. What was that?"

"Yeah, it was Jewels, because now I know." Yusuke smirked.

_Know what?_ Julie asked in her head.

"I don't get it, what just happened?" Kuwabara asked as he and Botan looked between the demoness, Yusuke, and Julie.

"Hey, lady." Yusuke yelled at Miyuki. "You've got no chance of winning this fight."

"Oh, shut up!" She yelled back as she pulled out a hair from her head. It grew in length and width until it formed into a long whip like weapon.

She swung it once at Yusuke, but barely missed. She swung it again and this time got it around his throat. "You never would have done that if I were a man."

"What does she mean by that?" Botan asked.

"I don't know." Kuwabara said.

"Did you guys really not see what happened?" Julie asked, raising an eyebrow at them.

Kuwabara gasped then, just realizing what happened in the first exchange of attacks. "Oh my gosh, I think he grabbed Miyuki's…well it serves you right to get chocked, Urameshi!" Kuwabara scolded the teen that was at the moment, struggling to breath.

Miyuki jumped up, smashing a hole in the ceiling so she could stand on a higher platform and raised Yusuke into the air.

"Shouldn't we help him?" Julie asked; worry flickering through her eyes as she watched Yusuke struggle to get free.

"No, he deserves it. Maybe he should try apologizing to her." Kuwabara said, crossing his arms.

"If you wanted to hang out together, you should have just asked!" Yusuke said as he started swinging his body back and forth to get enough momentum going to reach the ceiling and make his own hole, and in the process loosening the whip's hold on his neck. Julie and the others didn't see anything for a while as they only heard Yusuke and Miyuki fight above them. That didn't last for long though as they came crashing to the floor with Yusuke's foot in Miyuki's gut.

She got up and ran at him, but only was hit back as Yusuke punched her in the chest.

_Ouch._ Julie cringed, knowing the pain Miyuki was feeling from her previous experiences of getting hit in that sensitive area. It might not be as bad as getting kicked in the crock for a guy, but it was a close second.

"Urameshi, how can you keep hitting a girl like that? I mean you even hit her in the tah-tahs!" Kuwabara yelled.

"Give me a break! You want me to stand still as she reams me?" Yusuke yelled back.

"I don't know, all I'm saying is boys aren't allowed to hit girls."

"We're both fighters, why the hell does it make a difference?" Yusuke asked, turning fully around to talk to Kuwabara.

"Yusuke, behind you!" Julie yelled, seeing Miyuki running to attack him.

He turned around just in time to send a kick to her face, sending her face first through the wall.

"You yell way too much." Yusuke told Kuwabara as they ran to him, seeing that the fight was over.

"Okay that's it! You and me have got to duke it out right here and now so I don't get nauseous. Even if she was attacking you, you don't have to knock her head through a wall." Kuwabara said, raising his fists to Yusuke.

"Fine, I wasn't going to tell you this because I still don't think it matters, but look closely." Yusuke said, turning his eyes to the unmoving Miyuki.

Julie looked at Miyuki for a while and didn't see anything until she moved her eyes to… "Oh!" Julies mouth popped open at what she saw, before turning her eyes away quickly. "So that's what you meant."

Yusuke nodded his head. "Turns out our Ms. is a Mr."

"Oh." Botan said, eyes wide with surprise.

"But how did you…know?" Kuwabara asked in awe.

"Well I couldn't really help but notice. Okay I admit it, I was curious. Things didn't seem right up top so…ya know…the family jewels have not been stolen."

"I don't know if I should recommend you, or reprimand you for your observation skills, Yusuke." Julie said, crossing her arms.

"So fighting girls actually does bother you, but you gave her a checkup instead of attacking her. You're kind of a weird person aren't you?" Kuwabara said.

Julie heard rustling from Miyuki and turned to see the hermaphidite raising herself/himself off the ground. "You think I'm a freak, don't you? That's why you're attacking so violently. What, are you afraid I'll rub off on you? Why can't you treat me as an equal?" Miyuki yelled and raised a fist to attack again.

"Shut up!" Yusuke said, picking up Miyuki and lifting him/her over his head and throwing her/him head first into another wall. "If you're going to be a man, do it all the way!"

The wall didn't give way this time though, and Miyuki's head hit hard against it. Julie wouldn't be surprised if the skull cracked under the force.

"I'm fighting you because you won't let us save that girl. It's got nothing to do with you except for me kicking your ass." Yusuke said before Miyuki fainted.

"You positive about this, Urameshi? She looks so…I mean she looks so pretty…are you sure she's a…" Kuwabara moved to lift up the hem of Miyuki's dress.

Botan and Julie saw to that quickly and both girls punched him over the head hard.

"You jerk!"

"For a guy that has an honor code about not hitting women, you sure don't seem to have a problem with looking at them!" Julie said.

"Hey look, a camera." Yusuke said, smirking at the security device that had moved to get a close up of the four intruders.

"Two more and we're coming after you." Julie said and they all held up two fingers and stuck their tongues out at whoever was watching.

"Come on, let's get going. The sooner we get to Yukina, the sooner we can get out of here." Yusuke said.

Botan, Julie, and Kuwabara all nodded in agreement and took off down the hall that Miyuki was guarding.

"You know I have a thing about what you did back there to Miyuki, Urameshi." Kuwabara said as they turned down another hallway. "You know the way you checked to see if Miyuki was a guy or a girl. What if Miyuki wasn't a boy? What would you have done?"

"Think about it stupid; like I would have complained." Yusuke smirked before a fist hit the back of his head.

"Oh! What was that for, Julie?" Yusuke yelled at his female partner who had a scowl on her face.

"What do you think? For being a damn pervert!" Julie yelled back.

"Keiko's not going to like hearing that." Kuwabara said in a sing-song voice.

Yusuke stopped his yelling at Julie to turn back to Kuwabara. "You wouldn't dare tell Keiko that for real!"

"Well there is this new c.d. that I've been wanting for a while…"

"And you want me to buy it for you? Is that it?" Yusuke said as he tried putting Kuwabara into a headlock. Kuwabara moved out of the way and he tried to put Yusuke into an arm bar, but then Yusuke got out of that. This continued as Julie looked to Botan for some help.

"Would you boys knock it off! We're trying to rescue Yukina!" Botan yelled.

Kuwabara instantly perked up at the name of the demoness and threw Yusuke to the side. "That's right! I don't have time for this!" He held up his pinky that "tied him to Yukina with love." "By my red pinky string, I'm led to my heart's content." And then he was off.

The three watched him run off before sighing.

* * *

"This way." Botan pointed to the way her compass was leading her. Everyone followed her but Kuwabara.

"Move!" He suddenly yelled and pushed Botan in the back and Yusuke in the chest, causing him to fall into Julie.

Julie was about to yell at him before she saw his "headband of love" split in two on his forehead and fall to the floor.

"Someone's here." Kuwabara said.

"Demon two of the Triad: Imaki. Sorry I missed." Julie heard and turned her head to see a little demon that was fully clocked besides his eyes and hands that had claw like knives attached to them.

"You just tore off the great fighting headband of love!" Kuwabara growled out. "You're dead!" Kuwabara ran at Imaki but with a swish of his clock, Imaki disappeared.

"That was weird." Yusuke said, as everyone looked around for the little demon.

Julie barely heard movement to her left, and had just enough time to move out of the way before getting hit by Imaki's blades, leaving the carpet with shallow cuts in it.

More strikes appeared around the four as they tried to get a lock on his movement. He was very quick, but luckily didn't seem very accurate.

"Can you sense this guy's movements?" Yusuke asked.

Nope. He's too fast, it feels like he's all around us." Kuwabara said. Julie nodded her head in agreement.

"Ah!" Yusuke cringed, making Julie and Kuwabara turn around just in time to see claw marks on his back from Imaki's weapon.

"Are you okay?" Kuwabara asked.

"Let's run." Yusuke answered and took off with the others quickly following him.

As they ran Julie got an idea. "Botan, take this next corner."

Botan, who was in front of everyone because she was riding her oar, nodded her head and did as Julie said. It was a dead end.

"Oh great. Now what?" Yusuke asked.

"Perfect. Kuwabara, tell me when you sense Imaki's energy at the end of this hall, do you understand?" Julie asked, ignoring Yusuke.

Kuwabara nodded his head, and Julie turned around to face the entrance of the hall with her arms raised.

"He's here!"

"Lightning Storm!" Julie said, as hundreds of small bolts of black lightning shot out of her hands and hit against the opposite wall. A small silhouette that vaguely looked like Imaki's was the only part of the wall that wasn't damaged by Julie's attack. When the light from the attack faded Imaki was on the ground, face first, and his body smoking.

Julie smirked as her teammates cheered.

"Oh I get it." Kuwabara said. "There was only one direction he could come from, and with that move you didn't have to aim."

Julie nodded her head proudly.

"Kind of a cheap trick if you ask me."

Julie narrowed her eyes at Kuwabara, and black electricity crackled around her fists. "Wanna run that by me again?"

Kuwabara laughed nervously, "Ah…I mean that was a brilliant move! Way to go Julie!"

Julie smiled, and released her energy. "That's what I thought."

"Hey look. Another camera." Botan said, pointing into a corner on the ceiling where the device was.

"One more!" The four said, raising one finger.

A beeping sounded from Botan's wrist, making everyone look at it. "Come on, Yukina is this way!" Botan said and ran off.

The others started to follow, but Kuwabara held them back. "I sense something…Botan stop!"

But it was too late. A giant red demon crashed through the wall and grabbed Botan by the hood of her coat.

"I am Goku, the third of the Triad." The demon said, with Botan struggling in his hand.

"I'll write it on your grave stone." Yusuke said, already having his Spirit Gun charging.

"Are you sure you won't hit your friend?" Goku asked, raising Botan in front of himself.

"Yes, good question!" Botan said, still struggling to get free.

"What a dirty trick." Yusuke growled.

Goku laughed as he reached back and grabbed the handle of a giant spiked club. He reared it back before slamming it down on Yusuke, Julie, and Kuwabara.

The three jumped out of the way where now a crater was in the floor.

Kuwabara activated his Spirit Sword and charged at Goku. The demon met him with his club and didn't seem to have trouble warding the human off. Goku pushed a little harder on his club and it broke through the sword.

"What the hell was that?" Yusuke asked.

"I'm so afraid of hitting Botan, I must have held back too much." Kuwabara said.

Goku, seeing that Kuwabara was distracted, slammed the non spiked part of his club into Kuwabara's gut and sent him flying against the wall.

Julie and Yusuke ran to check on Kuwabara. Luckily he wasn't seriously harmed.

Goku laughed again. "You don't have the nerve to attack me as long as I have her." He swung Botan around like a child would a piece of candy in front of his jealous classmates.

"Botan, raise your arms." Yusuke said. She did as she was told and she slid out off her jacket and onto the ground.

"Stu-pid." Kuwabara, Yusuke, and Julie said at the same time.

Julie shot forward and grabbed Botan out of the way as Yusuke and Kuwabara kicked Goku in the chest with spirit energy charged feet, knocking him down and out.

"Now we're coming for you." Julie said, smiling at the camera.

* * *

After following Botan's compass and Kuwabara's "string of love", Julie, Yusuke, Kuwabara, and Botan had found themselves running down creepy stairs, through a basement, past disgusting low level demon beasts, and ending up in an arena like room. The room was empty except for two demons that stood in the middle.

Revulsion ran through Julie's body as she recognized the two._ They are from my dream of Yukina._ _They're the ones that have hurt her._ Julie's eyes narrowed at them. One was very tall, and very muscular. Shades covered his eyes, and his hair was cut very symmetrical, matching the sharp contour of his face. The other was small, and perched on the tall one's shoulder like a monkey. He reminded Julie of a monkey, the way he clung onto the taller one's shoulders, and how he was hunched over.

Above the two were five screens of very posh looking men, all looking down on the arena. Above them was a glass window that opened up to a room on the other side of the arena wall. Tarukina was in there, along with Yukina who was being held by two men.

"I take it we have another fight." Yusuke said.

"Forget about them. I can't even feel their spirit energy, they couldn't hurt a fly." Kuwabara said before spotting the ice apparition. "Yukina! Don't worry; we're coming for you soon."

She didn't look any better after Kuwabara's promise. If anything, she looked even more upset.

"Welcome," the taller demon said, "Don't be too hard on us. We're fragile."

Somehow, Julie doubted they were anything but fragile.

"So I guess this is the big finish." Yusuke said.

"Hey, Toguro!" Tarukina's voice rang through the arena; apparently there was an intercom system. "Don't blow this."

One of the men on the screens laughed, "Poor Tarukina, he's going to have a conniption before this is over."

"Can't blame him. It's not every day where all your finances and future is betted on one match." Another said.

"66 trillion dollars, the loser will have to sell everything from his cufflinks to his organs."

This went on and on, only one of the men on the screens didn't say a thing. He looked calm as he smoked a cigarette, as if he didn't have a care in the world.

"Hey, who are those people? They're watching us risk our lives like it's funny." Kuwabara said.

"They're…betting on us. We're their entertainment." Julie said, glaring at the men.

"If we get tired, please allow us to tap out." The tall Toguro said, although it sounded like anything but a plea.

"Don't listen, guys. I've got a feeling these guys are up to something." Kuwabara said.

"No joke." Yusuke replied.

"Couldn't have figured that one out." Julie said placing a hand on her hip.

"But judging from their spirit energy you shouldn't worry. They're weaklings." Kuwabara said, hopefully.

"No." Yusuke said. "I can't really explain it, but my body's getting a weird vibe, it's like there's something big in here."

Julie nodded her head. "I'm getting it too. They say sometimes when you hear hoof prints, expect zebras, not horses. It's a medical analogy, but it fits in this case."

"Ready, brother?" Toguro asked the being on his shoulder. The brother nodded his head and crawled along Toguro's arm, then twisted his hands behind himself before his entire body morphed into a grotesque looking sword.

"Oh." Julie couldn't help her mouth popping open in surprise. She didn't see that coming.

"What is that little guy doing?" Kuwabara sounded as surprised as Julie.

"I bet he's real popular at parties." Yusuke said sarcastically.

"You see my brother is able to transform the shape of his body. It's nothing really." Toguro said. "This is my brother's specialty. And mine…"

Julie felt it before she saw it. The spirit energy practically poured out of Toguro's body and hit Julie so hard it made her gasp. He flexed his muscles and when it combined with his energy, made them grow even larger. He looked larger than a body builder on steroids.

"The further my spirit energy surrounds my brother it makes him indestructible. You see, the Toguro's truly fight as one." The large Toguro said. With that he pushed his spirit energy out and caused a wind to push out, making the team brace themselves so they won't be blown over.

"Damn it, what is this energy. This isn't going to be easy." Yusuke said. "Botan step back."

"I'll try." Botan said.

Toguro ran so fast at them, the team had barely enough time to move. He swung his brother at them, and when he missed, made a crater in the ground.

_That was clos-_ Julie gasped when she felt an opening in her blue shirt. She looked down to see a long clean cut on it, but her skin was intact. Toguro had gotten her shirt, but not her. She looked up to see Yusuke and Kuwabara had the same mark.

_He did that on purpose…to scare us._ And it worked. Julie felt the fear rise up in her from this demon's power. She had never met an opponent this powerful before. She was scared out of her mind. So scared she couldn't even unfold her legs from under herself to get up and fight. She was paralyzed.

"Spirit Sword!" Kuwabara yelled, activating his energy.

"To slow." Toguro was already in front of him, and Kuwabara had just enough time to block his sword with his own. Toguro then brought around his fist and aimed for Kuwabara's gut. Luckily, Kuwabara saw this and moved back, but not quickly enough to avoid the entire punch. It hit him hard and sent him flying into the wall.

"Hmm, stepped back just enough to avoid a fatal blow. I'm surprised you had enough intellect to do that." Toguro mocked. "But you won't have to scrape along the floor much longer. Come now brother; let's send him to Spirit World."

"Hey! Forgetting something, stupid?" Yusuke yelled as Toguro started to power up for his final attack. Yusuke shot off a blast of his Spirit Gun. Toguro saw this, however, and jumped up, avoiding the attack.

"Maybe I didn't make myself clear. Shot Gun!" Yusuke shot at Toguro while he was still in mid air. Toguro couldn't avoid the attack.

But he could block it.

Toguro focused his spirit energy around his body, making a shield and absorbing Yusuke's attack. He dropped to the ground, completely unharmed. "Yes, he must think quite low of us, brother. As if we can't deflect a little energy."

Yusuke growled before taking a running start at Toguro. When he was close enough, Toguro swung at him but Yusuke jumped out of the way. While Toguro was off balance, Yusuke aimed between his eyes. "How about point blank?" Then he shot off his Spirit Gun once more.

Botan and Kuwabara both cheered.

Yusuke landed on his feet. "Don't worry, I hear headless is in this year."

As the smoke cleared away, it was revealed that Toguro blocked his face with his brother, who at last second had turned into a shield.

"You have got to be kidding me. He's a shield too?" Yusuke yelled in frustration.

Toguro smirked before slamming his fist into Yusuke's face. Knocking him so hard back that the floor came up with him. "Did I forget to tell you? My brother makes an excellent defensive weapon."

Yusuke slowly stood up.

"I was only being a professional…though I was hoping you'd provide me more entertainment than this!" Toguro yelled as he ran to attack Kuwabara and Yusuke again.

_I've got to do something! Come on Julie! Move! He's going to kill them if you don't do something!_ Julie screamed in her head as she watched Toguro beat the shit out of Yusuke and Kuwabara. Her body wouldn't respond to her pleading brain, though. She was so afraid of this man. He, like so many demons before him, sent that cold chill down Julie's spine, making her want to run and hid like a child under her blankets…this demon that could so easily kill her.

_But he's killing _them_. Damn it Julie! Move! Quit being such a scared, helpless, little child and move!_

Julie clenched her fist so hard that her long nails bit into her skin. The nerves sent a message of pain through her body, overriding her paralyzed brain, and Julie took the chance to stand up.

"Hey! Big, tall, and ugly!" Julie yelled before her brain could lock her down again.

Toguro turned to see Julie running at him, and smirked. He dropped Yusuke to the ground to get ready for her attack. "So you've finally decided to come and play?"

Julie ignored the comment and ran at Toguro. He got in a stance, ready for her attack. When Julie was just within reach of Toguro she flickered out of sight.

Toguro was caught off guard and slightly lowered his raised sword, he turned his head to search for the girl, but she was nowhere to be found.

Suddenly, Julie appeared to his right and quickly jabbed at the shoulder joint with a small jolt of black electricity. His arm went limp, and the sword fell out of his hand.

"What the-?" Before he had time to get out the rest of his sentence Julie flickered to his other side and jabbed at that shoulder joint. Now both arms were useless.

Julie flickered to a stop, just a few meters away from Toguro and gave him a harsh glare as black electricity flickered around her hands and feet. "Don't worry. You're arms are only paralyzed temporarily, that will wear off in a couple of hours. But that is more than enough time to defeat you."

Toguro inspected the girl in front of him, a small smirk on his lips. "I see. You used your spirit energy to accelerate your movements, and to temporarily freeze my nerves. Not bad..."

He flexed what muscles he could, and raised his spirit energy again. The air whipped around as more and more of his energy built up, until finally he broke through the electric blocks Julie made in his shoulder joints, and his arms were free once again.

Julie was surprised, to say the least. No one had ever broken through her Freezing Lighting attack before. So she wasn't prepared for the counterattack.

Toguro lunged forward and grabbed Julie by the throat and lifted her off her feet. She held onto Toguro's giant wrists but it didn't loosen his hold.

"Julie!" Yusuke and Kuwabara yelled.

"So you're the one who killed Kaisuke." Toguro said, causing Julie to pause in her struggle.

"Kaisuke?" Julie asked. She hadn't thought about that demon since the night he attacked her. "How do you know him?"

"He was one of my best men, but very easily distracted. He never stopped talking about a human girl with spiritual awareness that smelled so delicious he salivated every time she was near him. I can only assume that is you." Toguro said, tightening his grip on Julie's neck.

"If he was one of your best men…then you should really reconsider your employee criteria." Was all that Julie was able to breathe out.

Toguro smirked again. "Regardless, he was a good employee, and you killed him. I simply wish to collect now."

"What-?" Julie stopped mid-sentence when Toguro's fist slammed into her gut. He let go of her as he did and the force of the blow knocked Julie back and slammed her into the arena wall behind Yusuke and Kuwabara. Julie hung against the wall for a few seconds before gravity took over and she fell to the floor with the rubble. Julie groaned and curled up, she could feel at least three broken ribs.

"Jewels! Hey, speak to me, are you okay?" Yusuke asked, already kneeling over her.

"Feel free to take a little extra time with them Toguro. I know how all you demon creatures are into torturing. Besides, my Black Black Club can use some good dirty fun." Tarukina's laughter rang throughout the arena.

"Tarukina's wrong. I don't like torture, at least not whenever the prey are too pathetic to defend themselves." Toguro said, picking up his brother's sword form.

"Disgraceful!"

Julie didn't have to look up to see that Kuwabara's spirit energy had increased greatly. It was pouring off of him, similar to how Toguro's had, but Kuwabara's didn't choke the air out of her.

"And you call yourself a man? Seeing you live makes me sick."

Toguro said something, but Julie didn't care to hear it.

"Get lost. I'll deal with you and your brother some other time. Tarukina's the one I was talking about."

"What?" Tarukina's voice echoed through the intercom. "You wanna beat me up? Sorry kid, but I'm too expensive. Toguro, I want this creep fried, extra crispy."

"You heard him. We don't have a choice." Toguro said, although he made it sound like he didn't care either way.

Julie sat up, with the help of Yusuke and Botan, to see Kuwabara attack Toguro but to no avail. Toguro punched him, but Kuwabara road the bunch and skidded away from him.

"You're attacks are very slow. We can easily predict your every move." Toguro said.

Kuwabara looked like he was on his last leg. He was heavily beaten and was shaking. He couldn't take much more. Yet, he activated his Spirit Sword once again.

"Hey, Urameshi, I need a favor."

"Huh?"

Julie didn't hear the rest because Tarukina was speaking into the intercom again. "Okay Toguro. You've had enough fun. I want to start counting my money!"

"It's too dangerous, let's wait!" Botan said to Kuwabara.

"You know how fast they move, this will only get you killed quicker." Yusuke said.

Kuwabara didn't listen to either of them and charged at Toguro.

"Hn. They want to die with honor. Yes brother, respect their wish!" Toguro said and raised his sword above his head, ready to strike Kuwabara down.

_What is he doing?_ Julie yelled in her head.

"Spirit Gun!" Yusuke yelled and shot the gun at Kuwabara's back, propelling him unexpectedly forward. Toguro hadn't expected this and didn't have enough time to block Kuwabara's sword from entering his gut.

"Ingenious…plan." Toguro grunted out. "You fighters…are something else." And with that, Toguro fell.

"It's over…" Julie breathed out a sigh of relief and leaned back against the wall.

"Oh goodness, Hiei!" Botan's voice made Julie open her eyes again to see Hiei was in the room with Tarukina and Yukina now. He was beating Tarukina to a bloody pulp. "We have to do something. Regardless of what Tarukina has done Hiei is forbidden from taking human life. He'll be punished severely."

"Stop it, Hiei! Don't kill him!" Yusuke shouted.

Hiei stopped for a second to glance at Yusuke before sneering and raising a fist to end Tarukina's life. But then Yukina grabbed the arm, surprising everyone. Words were exchanged between the two siblings, Julie couldn't hear them since the intercom wasn't turned on, but when Yukina started to cry Hiei's eyes softened and he lowered his hand.

"Looks like Hiei really does have a soft spot for his sister." Julie mumbled to herself as she relaxed again.

"Looks like everything is going to be okay." Botan said happily.

"Yea. Jewels, how are you doing?" Yusuke asked.

"I think three of my ribs are broken but other than that I'm fine. I should be all healed up by tomorrow. Gotta love speedy self-healing abilities." Julie smiled at her partner. "But be a doll and help me up would you?" Julie asked raising her hand out to him.

Yusuke chuckled as he helped Julie to her feet. It hurt to breathe, and every step that she took burned like hell, but somehow Julie felt good. She had gotten over her fear, and helped take down a monstrous demon and save an innocent demoness. Yeah, she felt pretty good about herself right now.

The door to the arena opened and little Yukina ran to the group of teens. "Ah…"

She seemed to not know what to say. Yusuke smiled at her, "everyone's okay, but why don't you go see him to make sure." Yusuke nodded to Kuwabara.

Yukina nodded her head and ran over to the injured Kuwabara. The look on his face was priceless when Yukina put her hands on his face to heal him. Kuwabara was truly infatuated with the girl.

"Hey, let's go see what's happening up stairs." Yusuke said, obviously wanting to give the two a moment alone.

"Right behind you, Yusuke." Julie smiled and slowly walked after him with Botan in toe.

* * *

"You know children, always playing with the forces of darkness." – Kelley Armstrong

* * *

Next time on **All But Forgotten**:

_A flash of a certain red haired, green eyed man crossed Julie's vision, making her pause her movement for a second. A clearing of the throat from her dance partner shattered the vision and Julie shook her head. He didn't belong in her head, not right now._

_Content with her dance partner, Julie closed her eyes and leaned further against the nameless man and wrapped one arm up and around his head and continued her movement._

And

"_Julie Anderson, you have been invited to the Dark Tournament held at Hanging Neck Island. Fail to attend and you will be hunted down and killed most…viciously." The little imp demon grinned._

* * *

Reviews Appreciated=)


	7. The Anthem of Temptation

Haha, hey guys. Sorry for not updating again Saturday, but as I've said before. I have a life. Ya but anyways the usual. To my reviewers:

**Secret. Fairytale:** I'm sorry but on that last chapter where in the beginning it said "Even though you're crazy, you're the shit. Nuff said." Well that was directed towards you. Lol but for some reason it didn't show your name. Sad day. But I love you're reviews. You are my first loyal reader, sooo, you're awesome=) no lie.

**Crystal-roses13: **I'm glad you are enjoying the story and it's great to hear that it's keeping your attention. That's like my main worries about this story (Besides keeping everyone in character). I was slightly worried this might be to cliché of a story line to be of any interest to anyone. So thank you for reassuring me=)

**Anastacia Lynn: **Thanks for the review. And I'll hopefully have chapter 8 up by next Saturday, if not then check back Sunday. lol

**Wolvesrain17: **I'm glad you like the connection! I was trying to go for something never done before and have it be more original. If you've seen it before, than oops. Lol I haven't but, it's nice to know someone likes it=) and it's about to get more interesting, especially in this chapter ;) and even better in the next.

**Disclaimer:** I do not own Yu Yu Hakusho. I use the characters and plot for recreational use only!

**Claimer:** I own Julie and Megumi fully and lovingly=)

* * *

**Chapter 7: The Anthem of Temptation**

* * *

_Quiet. So very quiet. Not one noise was made in the vast room. Not even from the still being lying on the floor._

_Dead…_

_He's not dead. His heart was still beating. But he has a sword of energy embedded in his stomach. How is he not dead?_

_Movement._

_The not dead man flexed his abdomen. The spirit sword was pushed from it and thrown in the air like a toothpick before disappearing._

_The object next to him moved._

_It was a sword, a grotesque sword. It shifted until it took the form of a small man._

_Together the two men stood up, both unharmed from the fight just moments ago._

_One of the five screens turned on to reveal a young man with a scar over his right blue eye. A smile graced his lips. He was pleased; everything had gone according to plan._

_The man on the screen exchanged words with the giant humanoid demon._

_They let the ice apparition go. It was of no consequence to them._

_They wanted a favor for pleasing their client so well. The scarred man agrees._

_They wanted to fight the same group they had fought not moments ago._

_The scarred man chuckled. He agreed. They would fight in the near future._

_They will fight in the Dark Tournament._

"Ah!"

Julie screamed as she shot up from her dream. She looked at her surroundings. She was in her room; in her bed. She wasn't back in the arena with the Toguro brothers.

Forcing herself to breathe normally again, Julie rested her elbows on her arched knees, and her forehead in her hands. It was when her hands touched her brow that Julie realized she was incredible clammy and sweaty.

"How are they alive?" Julie asked aloud to herself. She, Kuwabara, and Yusuke killed the Toguro's not two nights ago.

"Julie?"

Julie turned her head to see her grandmother standing in her doorway. Himori Takara looked at her granddaughter with a worried expression. Her long black, graying hair was loose from its usual tight bun and she was wearing a large moo-moo like night gown, hiding her slightly plump frame. "Are you alright, sweetheart? I heard you scream."

Julie looked at the clock on her nightstand to see that it was two in the morning. She must have woken up her grandmother. Feeling guilty, Julie smiled gently at the older woman.

"Yes, I'm fine, Obaasan. I just had a bad dream, is all. Did I wake you?"

Julie's grandmother shook her head. "No, but your Ojiisan's snoring did."

The two women laughed.

"I was just making a pot of tea. Would you like some?"

Julie shook her head. "No, I think I'll try and go back to sleep, but thank you, Obaasan."

The older woman smiled gently at her granddaughter before walking over and kissing her forehead. "Alright, little one, I'll leave you to rest. Sweet dreams, my hougyoku*."

Julie smiled at the nickname her grandmother gave her as she walked out the door.

As soon as the door shut, and Julie couldn't hear her grandmother's footsteps, she jumped out of her bed and opened her closet door. Stripping from her pajamas, Julie pulled on a pair of skinny jeans and a silver top that covered her entire left arm and left the other completely bare. Last, she put on a pair of gladiator sandals and a small coat.

Julie had no intention of sleeping. Not after that unwelcomed awakening. She needed to tell Yusuke about the Toguro's and whatever that Dark Tournament thing was, but she knew he wouldn't be up for quite a few more hours. She'll have to wait.

Julie then stuffed some pillows in her bed to make a rough shape of her body, just in case if her grandmother wanted to check up on her. Then she turned to her window and opened it up to the cool night. Julie smiled and took a deep breath of the crisp air, then jumped from the two story window and landed on the street without a sound.

Knowing exactly where she was going, Julie started walking towards the west side of town. Sleep was inevitable right now, and Julie didn't even want to start thinking about the horrible possibilities of what was to come, so she did the only thing she could do: go to a night club. And she knew the perfect one.

When she arrived she saw her favorite bouncer at the door and walked up to him.

"Evening, Genku." Julie smiled.

The massive man looked at Julie with curious eyes. "You mean good morning. You're out late. Where is Megumi?"

"I'm on my own tonight; this was a last minute urge to come here. Besides, Megumi can be a nightmare if someone interrupts her beauty sleep."

Genku chuckled and nodded his head. "Alright. Have fun kiddo, and if you have any trouble, you know where I am."

Julie smiled at the deceivingly kind man as she opened the door. "Thanks. You're the best."

Julie wasted no time in getting to the dance floor. She needed mind numbing movement and sound, and she needed it now.

A fast pace techno song came on as she jumped into the middle of the floor, and Julie quickly synced her body to the rhythm. She danced by herself at first, but not for long as she felt someone against her back.

The man came from behind her and grabbed onto her waist, wasting no time in pressing himself against her body; matching his hip movement with her own. Julie took a fleeting second to see if this man wasn't a complete loser, and was satisfied to see a fairly attractive man with brown hair and eyes that looked to be a little older than herself (Julie guessed he was a college student).

A flash of a certain red haired, green eyed man crossed Julie's vision, making her pause her movement for a second. The fleeting vision shattered, however, when her partner squeezed her side a little, trying to gain back her attention. Julie shook her head, as if the motion would knock the thoughts out of her brain._ He_ didn't belong in her head, not right now.

Content with her dance partner, Julie closed her eyes and leaned further against the nameless man and wrapped one arm up and around his neck and continued her hip sway. The man didn't comment on Julie's pause and continued as well.

As the songs transitioned to another, and then another, the man became more and more intimate with his dancing. One of his arms looped all the way across Julie's hips and the thumb of his hand went underneath her jean line and stroked the flesh over her hip bone; his other hand inching closer and closer to the inside of her thigh. Then his mouth found its way to Julie's bare shoulder, and started lavishing it with kisses.

When Julie realized this, revulsion welded up inside her. How dare this man touch her so intimately! How dare he think he even _think_ he had the right to touch her! Julie didn't know where these thoughts came from but the longer he held on the stronger the anger became before she finally snapped.

Giving her shoulder a good bump into his teeth, the man moved his mouth away with a small cry. Then Julie took the man's hands, that were now dangerously close to her area, and threw them off before stomping off the floor. She was so enraged that she left the club without picking up her jacket at the front desk. Julie just simply marched out and back into the now raining night.

When she had gotten a few blocks away, Julie's mind caught up to what her body had just done. Why had she done that? Never had she reacted to an intimate dance partner in that manner before.

Yes, there were those who got a little handsy like that man had, but never had she become angry with them. More times than not, she welcomed it.

Her Craving always hunger for skin contact. If was like food, Julie _needed_ it. However, while her body craved it, her mind was repulsed by it. She would always stop before a man got too far. Just a little touch here and a little touch there. When her craving was fed to its minimum, Julie would push him away. Never had she let it get as far as sex. Of all the immoral things she has done, sex was not one of them. Not only was her brain screaming at her to stop, Julie herself would not let it happen. That physical activity was too personal for it to be casual.

It was her against the Craving. Always a raging war within. _'Just a little bit more,'_ the Craving would whisper, _'It's not that bad, you'll feel so much better after.'_

Temptation was always knocking at her door. Never would that door be opened if Julie had anything to say about it.

"Julie?"

Speaking of temptation.

Julie turned her head to see Kurama standing behind her with an umbrella shielding him from the rain. It was then that Julie realized she was soaking wet and her clothes were sticking to her body in an uncomfortable manner.

"K-Kurama? What are you doing here?"

"I could be asking you the same question. You'll catch a cold if you stand out here in the rain like you are. Here." Kurama walked forward until his umbrella shielded her from the rain as well.

The Craving burned within her, desperate to get to Kurama. Julie clenched her fists, keeping her hands at bay by her side.

'_Are you scared?'_ The Craving purred. _'He will be more than satisfying, more so than the idiot. Just a little touch is all.'_

Julie clenched her fists harder and tried to push the Craving's whispers to the back of her mind.

"Thank you, Kurama, but there is no need, I don't get sick."

Kurama looked at her curiously. "How do you mean?"

"It's a part of my healing ability, I guess. I've never been sick a day in my life."

_I just puke up blood until I pass out. _Julie thought to herself, dryly.

"Well, at least allow me to walk you home. It will make me feel better." Kurama said with a gentle smile.

_A gentleman, of course. As if he couldn't be more irresistible than he already is._ Julie thought. _But can I handle being this close to him without my Craving getting the best of me?_

Julie then shrugged her shoulders, "I don't see why not."

As the two walked east towards Julie's house, Julie's thoughts turned her body on auto pilot.

This was something else that confused Julie. Why does her Craving reject the touch of others but desires only the touch of the man next to her? Was it because he was some sort of lust demon? Did he have the power to draw all to him? No, that wouldn't be it. That being brought to attention, what kind of demon was he? Kurama gave off the aura of a human and a demon at the same time, something Julie had never encountered before. He wasn't half demon, she has seen those before, and Kurama didn't have the same energy signature that half demons do.

"Julie?"

The girl snapped from her thoughts and jerked her head to look at Kurama, her wet hair slapping against her cheek in the process. "Huh?"

"Which way do we turn? I have never been to your house before so I do not know the way."

"Oh…we go left." Julie said, glancing at the street sign before turning in said direction.

Kurama followed, being sure to keep the umbrella over their heads.

Because of the small area the umbrella covered Julie had to walk unbearably close to Kurama. Sometimes their shoulders would brush against one another, and because Kurama was walking on her right, her bare shoulder would get the full effect of her Craving. Julie pulled her arms across her chest, attempting to put a little more space between the two, yet it still wasn't enough to silence the Craving.

The walk was silent albeit the sound of rain hitting the ground, so Julie was able to hear Kurama speak clearly. "I can't help but notice something is bothering you. Do you wish to talk about it?"

_Besides the fact your very presents drives me insane?_

Knowing that question was obviously not something to bring up, Julie thought back to earlier that night and what originally distracted her from her normal sleeping pattern.

She knew Kurama was watching her, waiting patiently for her to say something, but she wasn't sure if she wanted to tell him.

Could she tell him about her dream? She could. Would he believe her? Possibly, it wasn't unheard of for spiritually aware humans to have dreams like she did. Could she trust him with the knowledge of her ability? She wasn't sure. But figuring she had nothing to really lose, Julie didn't see why not.

"Do you know how my spirit energy works?" Julie asked.

Kurama nodded his head. "You manipulate electricity and bend it to your will, correct?"

"Yes well…that's not all…I can do. I have these…dreams, kinda like visions; I think the technical term is Astral Projection Dreams*. I unintentionally scrye things in my dreams; scenes of things that happen elsewhere in the world."

Julie looked over to see Kurama looking forward, his eyes kept on the path in front of him, but his eyes were sharp and his face controlled. He was obviously listening, so Julie continued.

"I didn't tell Koenma about these because I didn't really deem it necessary. I have no control over what I see, and the majority of the time it's pointless nonsense. Yet sometimes…I see things that are almost like warning signs."

Julie glanced over at Kurama again to see his head was cocked to the side; his eyes were now on the pathway _and_ her.

"Such as the night before I went with Yusuke to rescue Yukina. I saw them…the Toguro's and that horrible man, Tarukina, torturing her. I felt everything she did: fear, loneliness, hopeless, pain…I hated those men before I even met them, because of my dreams."

"Are you saying that you saw something tonight? Something not trivial."

Julie nodded her head. She swallowed the fear down before saying, "Yes. The dream I had tonight showed me that the Toguro's aren't dead."

Kurama's demeanor didn't change, as if he was expecting her to say that. In fact, he sighed. "Are you sure, Julie? Have these dreams ever shown you a falsity?"

Julie shook her head again and subconsciously squeezed her hands tightly together. "My scrying has never been wrong."

"It is as we feared then. Koenma had suspicion that the Toguro's survived the battle. They have a reputation, you see, and he believed they were too easily defeated by Yusuke, Kuwabara, and yourself."

"My scrying showed me the Toguro's after the battle. They weren't even scratched; as if Yusuke, Kuwabara, and I did nothing to them. I can't hear people speak in these dreams but I can feel what they do. They were amused, _amused_, like the fight was a television show. We nearly died and they didn't even use their full strength. We were child's play to them."

"But that's not all, is it?" Kurama asked, as if he read her mind.

Julie shook her head. "No. They wanted something from us. They liked the fight, despite it being so one sided. They want more. They want to fight us in something called the Dark Tournament. Do you know what that is?"

This time Kurama's demeanor did slip and he stopped walking, making Julie stop with him. "The Dark Tournament?"

Julie nodded her head. "I may not hear what they say, but I'm able to read lips. And when the Toguro's were talking to one of the Black Black Club members, excitement and pleasure rolled off of Toguro like perfume when those two words came from the club man's lips. I can't forget the blood lust that came with it. It was…terrifying." Julie shivered and tightened the hold on herself, as if trying to shield herself from the dream like the umbrella was shielding her from the rain. "What is the Dark Tournament, Kurama?"

"It is as the name says, a Dark Tournament. It is organized by greedy human crime lords and it draws the most violent demons of the Spirit World. Each criminal gathers a team of six fighters and watch as the teams battle to the death. Humans are in it for gambling and entertainment. Demons fight for blood and the chance to win the prize. These fights are the farthest things from pleasant."

"But do we have to fight in it?" Julie asked. She seemed to have regained her composure and the fear was no longer evident in her voice as she began walking again.

Kurama felt a bit of relief as he fell in step next to her.

In the beginning, Kurama was worried about Koenma's decision to make Julie Yusuke's partner as Spirit Detective. He didn't think she had what Yusuke did to become a Spirit Detective: the strength, the endurance, the gall, the mentality, or the foolishness.

She proved him wrong, however, when she successfully contributed to the rescue of Yukina and the defeat of the Toguro's. Faulty defeat or not.

However, the Dark Tournament was a completely different story. If what her dream showed was true, then Kurama had no doubt in his mind that Julie will be forced into the tournament. She will have to be brave to survive those retched games.

She might not admit it but when she talked about the Toguro's fear was evident in her voice. Julie might be brave, but sometimes instincts outweigh the wit.

And Julie was full of instincts. Julie was a spiritually aware human that had lived her entire life in fear of demons, and she had a very good justification to be so.

From what Koenma had told him, Julie was on her own to deal with powers and a sight at a very young age that no one else could explain to her. She had to grow up in fear of dying at the hands of violent creatures every day. It amazed Kurama that Julie hadn't gone insane. And because of that, he was concerned how she would react to a tournament full of demons.

"If we receive an invitation then we must attend and fight in the tournament. If not then the Dark Tournament Committee will have us hunted down and killed." Kurama said, not bothering to sugar coat it for her.

Julie sighed. "I was afraid of that."

"I take it you are going to tell Yusuke?" Kurama asked, turning to look at the girl.

Julie nodded her head. "I plan on doing it when I know he'll be up, which probably won't be for another six hours." Julie guessed as she looked at her wrist watch. "I just hope he'll be at school for once. Oh, we're here."

Julie stopped in front of the two story building. Noticing the light on in the area of the kitchen, Julie realized her grandmother was still awake.

"Crap, I've got to go around back." Julie said and quickly ran around the side of the house to where her room window was still open. Julie was thankful for the flower vine fence that leaned against the brick wall right next to her window. She lost count of how many times it helped her sneak back into her room.

Looking back at Kurama, Julie noticed him looking at the decoration with an amused smile.

"Well thank you for walking me home, Kurama." Julie said as she stepped out from under the protection of the umbrella, and back into the pouring rain.

"Will you be able to make it up?" Kurama asked, scrutinizing the unstable structure of the thin wood.

Julie nodded her head. "I've done this many times. A little rain won't…stop…me…"

Julie let go of the flower covered wood to turn her attention to the alley behind her house.

Kurama sensed the presents too and moved to stand beside Julie, the umbrella on the ground next to them. "Reveal yourself."

A nasally laugh filled the air as a small imp-like demon walked into the light of the street lamp of a neighbor's yard. "Good, two of you are together, this will make my job much easier." The thing cackled.

The imp didn't give off a strong energy so Julie guessed it to be pretty weak, but she still didn't take any chances when it came to demons.

She raised her fists, getting ready for a fight. However, a hand took a hold of one of her wrists and pulled back down.

Julie didn't put up a fight. Hell, she couldn't even if she was able too. The hand set her nerves alight, and her veins on fire. There was only one hand that could do that, and the owner of the hand had his full attention on the imp.

"I suggest you quickly state your purpose for being here and leave." Kurama spoke in a deadly tone.

The voice he used sent shivers down Julie's spine. The Craving was roaring to life within her, and Julie was doing all she could to keep it at bay.

The voice he used had a different effect on the imp, thought, and the shiver that was sent down his spine wasn't one of pleasure. "R-Right. L-Let me j-just." The imp reached into a little bag on his hip and pulled out a scroll of parchment.

"S-Since you both are here, I'll just give you the message at the same time." He then looked to the letter, even though the ink was beginning to smug up from the rain. "Shuichi Minamoto*, alias Kurama, and Julie Anderson, you have been invited to the Dark Tournament held at Hanging Neck Island as a part of the special guest team. Fail to attend and you will be hunted down and killed most…viciously." The little imp demon grinned.

The grin slipped away quickly when he saw the venomous glare Kurama was giving him. "Very well, now go." Kurama said in a deathly calm voice.

The imp wasted no time in leaving and soon Kurama and Julie were alone again.

Julie was breathing very deeply now, and she tried to regulate it by leaning back against the wall and closing her eyes. Her wrist still in Kurama's grip. What the imp said was of no concern to her right now, she was too busy with more present matters in her mind.

_I can't take this much longer._ Julie thought, desperately fighting off the Craving. Suddenly, the hand on her wrist tightened, painfully, making Julie winch.

She opened her eyes to see Kurama standing squarely in front of her, his water soaked bangs covering his eyes.

"K-Kurama," Julie stuttered out.

He didn't say anything, instead he took a step forward, leaving only about six inches between them. Julie's heart skipped a beat and then sped back up as he trapped her wrist and arm against the wall, then he brought up his other hand to brush some stray wet hairs from her face and behind her ear before resting the hand on the wall beside her head.

Julie had lost the function of breathing. _W-What is he doing?_

The question was quickly answered as Kurama leaned forward. It was then that Julie saw his eyes.

The brilliant green shown with the same intensity that it did when Kurama was staring down the imp, yet this time there was something different. A different emotion resided in his eyes now, not one of killing but one of hunger.

Julie's mind and body were on lockdown. She couldn't move a muscle under those eyes. She kinda understood why the imp had ran off so quickly now. Those eyes only promised danger.

He continued leaning towards Julie until his lips were a hair's breath away from her own. His eyes boring into hers. Julie's mouth opened slightly, whether from the anticipation or lack of oxygen, she didn't know. What she did know was she was about to lose the battle with her Craving.

Just as Julie was about to close the gap herself, Kurama pulled his head to the side of Julie's and breathed into her ear. "I shouldn't…"

Confusion barely registered in Julie's clouded brain at Kurama's words. "What…"

Something wrapped around her waist. Looking down, Julie saw it was a green vine, similar to the ones on the wooden fence.

Julie's brain was still foggy so she didn't fight the vine, she just looked at Kurama. The sharp, hungry look was gone from his eyes but the intensity was still there. He stepped back, giving Julie plenty of room, much to her chagrin.

"Don't…" Julie muttered as she felt the vine pull up, and she went with it.

"Goodnight…Julie." Kurama said as the vine pulled her through the window and down on her bed.

Her mind, too tired and clouded, began to shut down the instant Julie hit the large cushion.

_He…feels it too._ Was the last thing Julie thought before her eyes shut.

* * *

Julie awoke to sunlight filtering in through her open window. Groaning, she sat up with a hand on her head, trying to apply pressure to the pain of the headache she felt coming on.

Looking at her clock, Julie's heart skipped a beat when she saw it was a quarter past three. She had slept through an entire day of school.

"Damn it!" Julie yelled and quickly jumped out bed and ran to her shower. She wasn't freaking out that she had missed an entire day of school, she was freaking out because she had to find Yusuke. She had to warn him before something bad happens, like the Toguro's showing up.

After a quick shower Julie pulled on a long sleeve navy blue v-neck shirt, a short denim skirt, and a pair of white sneakers before running out the door.

She looked everywhere for Yusuke. She started at the school and then worked her way around that part of the city. She couldn't find him anywhere. She was just about to give up hope when she passed the Panco bulding that had two chunks of concrete missing from its foundation.

_What the hell?_ She thought as she walked over to join the gathered crowd.

"Stand clear! This area is restricted!" A guard yelled, trying to keep the curious crowd at bay.

_That's so weird. It looks like someone used the building as a punching bag._ Julie thought crossing her arms over her chest.

"Julie?"

"Keiko? What are you doing here?" Julie asked, surprised to see the mousy girl.

"I was on a date with Yusuke, but he disappeared after we came to see what all this was about? You haven't seen him have you?" She asked with a worried expression.

"He disappeared?" Julie asked more to herself than Keiko. Shaking her head, Julie looked around and noticed then that Kuwabara was standing in the crowd as well, yet he wasn't gaping at the disfigured building, but in a blank area.

Julie's eyebrows knitted together as she watched the tall teen. "I'm sorry Keiko, I haven't. But will you excuse me for one second? I need to speak with someone really quickly." Julie didn't wait for an answer as she walked over to Kuwabara.

"Kuwabara." Julie said firmly, grabbing the teen's attention.

"Julie, I…I didn't…" Kuwabara seemed for at a lost with words so Julie took over.

"Where is Yusuke?"

"I just saw him, over there." He pointed to the area he was staring at earlier. There was nothing there.

"Well he's not there now, so where is he?" Julie asked.

"I don't know. He ran off with the tall Toguro guy we killed. How is that possible?"

Julie's heart plumited into her stomach. _I'm too late._

"Kuwabara, take Keiko home, I'll go find Yusuke." She said, leaving no room for argument as she ran off, searching for Yusuke again.

* * *

Hours later she felt Yusuke's energy coming from a construction site for a new parking garage. Toguro's was there as well. Suddenly, the entire structure collapsed.

_Hold on Yusuke, I'm coming. _Julie thought as she ran towards it

"Girl, what do you think you are doing?" Julie stopped in her tracks at the sound of Hiei's voice.

Looking up, Julie saw both Hiei and Kurama standing on the roof of a building. Julie's heart thumped against her chest at the sight of the red head as memories of earlier that morning ran through her head. However, now was not the time and place to bring up the subject. She would have to save her questions for him later.

Sparing Kurama once last glance, Julie turned her attention to Hiei. "I need to help him."

Hiei scoffed. "The detective isn't in any immediate danger. Toguro is just taking the liberty of inviting Yusuke to the Dark Tournament himself. You'll only get in the way."

"Come up here, Julie. We will wait on standby incase anything does happen to Yusuke." Kurama gave her a gentle smile.

Julie bit her lip but decided to comply. She spotted a fire escape latter and climbed up to join the two ex-thieves.

Hours passes until night had turned into day. Julie was itching with worry and was about to ditch Kurama and Hiei until she spotted a tall figure emerging from the darkness of the lower garage level.

It was Toguro. He calmly walked down the alley between the building Julie was standing on and the one across. It seemed like he didn't notice them and was going to walk right past them until he stopped and cranked his head to smile up at Julie, Hiei, and Kurama.

"I assume from your dismal faces that you have been invited to the competition as well. On Urameshi's team no doubt." The three didn't reply to the demon.

"Demon's who side with humans will get no sympathy. And humans will get no sympathy, regardless of the gender." Toguro added the last part with a nod to Julie.

Julie tried to appear as passive towards the man as possible, but her thundering heart was making that difficult.

"Sympathy has never been a part of those fights." Kurama said calmly.

Toguro smirked. "As you know the teams are made of six, so you'll have to recruit another fighter. For your sake I hope you find someone useful." Toguro said as he walked off.

"What is our chance?" Kurama asked after a moment of silence that followed Toguro's departure.

"Don't ask." Hiei replied before flickering out of sight.

Another silence followed.

"Kurama."

Kurama turned around to face Julie, who's attention was still on the spot where Toguro once stood. Slowly she turned her head to look at him.

He instantly knew what she was about to ask.

"I apologize for this morning. That should have never happened, and it will not happen again, you have my word." Kurama said with a bow, before turning around to leave.

_What if I want it to happen again? _Julie couldn't stop herself from thinking.

"At least answer me this, Kurama." Julie said, turning around to look at Kurama's back. He stopped to show he was listening.

"And answer me this honestly. Do you feel it, too? The…pull?"

Kurama didn't answer a first. He simply stood there, still as a statue. Then, slowly, he turned his head to connect his eyes with her's. "Yes."

Then he disappeared.

* * *

*hougyoku- means jewel.

*Astral Projection Dreams- I looked everywhere for the name of this physic ability and this is the closest thing I got. If you know a better name for it then please tell me.

* Shuichi Minamoto- I'm not sure if this is how it is spelled. If it's wrong than forgive me and please tell me the right way to spell it. Until then, it will be spelled as such.

A/N: Now I have a request for my reviews. Does Julie seem Mary-Sueish? I have recently come across a good definition of the term 'Mary-Sue' and am slightly worried she is one. I'm not saying she won't be, cause I believe all OC have a bit of Mary-Sue in them. What I am asking is if she is a MAJOR Mary-Sue. I try to put faults into her. Like she's a bit of a scardy-cat if you haven't noticed, and she isn't the best fighter, she's going to have to work on her skills. And there is a reason for her powers, so I ask that you don't judge on the fact she has like 3 powers that come from out of the blue, because there is a reason for them. They will just be described in the near future.

I just ask whoever reviews to give me a number on a scale of one to ten on how much of a Mary-Sue she is. One being- "She's the devil get this story off of FF", and ten being-"not the least bit Mary-Sue, you are crazy for even writing these 2 paragraph." Mkay? Mkay. Thanks for the cooperation=)

Now on that note I want to say something about skirts. It seems almost every story on fanfiction has a thing against skirts. Now I realize it is girly and 'only snooty bitches wear them' well I respectfully disagree. There is nothing wrong with skirts and I will have my character wear them every once in a while like I did in this chapter. It won't be anything sluty but if you have problem with skirts then stop reading this story. Just because a girl wears a skirt doesn't mean she's a slut. It's a strange stereotype in fanfiction stories that doesn't make any sense to me. And it's becomeing a bit cliche now for the OC characters to be totally tomboy with hatred for make up, and refuses to wear dresses, and hates shopping and so on and so forth. Nothing against other people's creations, it's all hunky dory that your character is a tomboy and all that jazz but don't throw a hissy fit when people chose to do something different. This is just my humble opinion.

flames are welcome after that little rant. haha

Enjoy your lives until next Saturday (Or it seems to become a Sunday thing haha)

-Mucho love, Blue.

* * *

Next time on **All But Forgotten**:

_"Who's the Barbie?"_ –three guesses on who this lovely person is ;)


	8. The Anthem of A Battle Royal

Okay, so before you start throwing rotten food at me or chain saws I have a good reason I've been gone for…what? Five months now? I'm not going to bore you with all the details so to make a long story short, I was at a party and the cops showed up. I get caught for underage drinking and my mom bands me from all technology and social events until my finals are over. I was secluded from everything! I swear I've gone a little batty since then. But the good news is, is I've gotten another chapter out=) yea me! So please read, and forgive me.

-love blue

To my reviewers of the previous chapter:

**Anastacia Lynn, Red Rose Cat, Wolfsrain17, Crystal-roses13**, I'm glad you are all enjoying the story and I truly appreciate your input=) I just couldn't come up with enough to reply to your reviews. But thanks a tones=) it does wonders for my story writing confidence=)

**Secret. Fairytale.** : Sorry couldn't help it=) I love drawn out romances=) makes the story more interesting to me. Haha. And thank you=) Sorry for not putting this up Sunday night like I said in our message. But when I first made the chapter I hated how I made it so I completely redid it from scratch. Not completely happy with it but it's a hella lot better than what it was. Thanks for being loyal and sticking through the long grounding!

**KuramaEnzaBlues**: Thank you for your input=) and thanks. I knew I was spelling his name wrong, haha I just didn't look it up cause I was too lazy. Haha. Thank you. I'll keep that in mind for future reference=)

**ShadowLegacy11** : I'm glad you're enjoying it and I'm glad someone else sees all OC's are a little Mary-Sue too! Haha

**Lightlovebunny** : Haha oh wow. Your review made me see my character in a better light. Thank you=) please enjoy this chapter and tell me what you think.

**Child of the Ancients** : I just want to let you know that I know I drop things without an explication. But I kinda do that for a reason. I like things to be shown and then have people come up with some theory of their own on why it's there or how to explain it and then show the real thing I was going for, and people reading will go like "Oh I sooooo didn't see that coming!" or "I totally called that!" or "that's stupid, my idea was better." I find it as a way to get the readers involved. You're the first to seem to catch that so I commend you. There's another thing I'm dropping in this chapter I think you'll catch ;) and it WILL be explained. Promise=)

**Wolfmoon10 **: Thank you for your honesty. I really appreciate it. I really do. I was looking for constructive criticism and you gave it to me. But also keep in mind that I have a reason for everything ;) please enjoy this next chapter. The Spirit Bow is an attack that she likes to use, not a new power, just for future reference when you read. Kinda like Yusuke's Spirit Gun and Shot Gun. Ya know?

**Loser94** : Close but no cigar. Although it's a good guess cause the person who said it has an attitude to match both Yusuke's and Hiei's.

* * *

Disclaimer: I do not own Yu Yu Hakusho. I only use the characters and plot for recreational use.

Claimer: I own Julie and Megumi fully and lovingly=)

* * *

_**Chapter 8**_

**The Anthem of A Battle Royal**

* * *

"It's about time you came back. Please tell me you've gotten a little better." The old woman snapped, not even bothering to turn her attention away from her tea and television to speak to the two teenagers.

Julie noticed Yusuke's grip on his bag tightened, but other than that he was completely composed.

"This time I won't go easy." She continued in a raspy voice.

"It's different this time. I promise I'll push as hard as I can." Julie was surprised that Yusuke's response wasn't a smart ass remark. Yusuke and authoritive figures were like oil and water; they just didn't mix. This Genkai woman must hold high regards in Yusuke's book.

The Genkai stood up to her full height, that being a little taller than Julie's hip, and shifted her old gray eyes to Julie. "Who's the Barbie?"

Julie deadpanned at the nickname. _Barbie?_ She whined in her head.

Yusuke, however, smirked. "This is Julie, she's my partner. She has to fight in the Dark Tournament as well. Koenma and I both ask that you help train her."

Genkai turned her harsh eyes back to Julie. The gaze from the small woman made Julie feel smaller than her, but she refused to look away. Yusuke warned her that Genkai showed no mercy for weakness and will only reward it with a fist to the face. Julie was determined to make Genkai understand she was no weakling.

"Show me your power, Barbie."

Julie huffed at the nickname before dropping her bag and raising her hands to let the black currents travel around her arms.

Suddenly, Julie felt a powerful force slam against her chest and in the blink of an eye Julie was on her back with the wind knocked out of her.

Genkai took her foot off of Julie's chest and stood next to the gasping girl. "Hn, rule number one: never let your guard down…Barbie." Genkai smirked at the irritated look Julie gave her.

Yusuke snickered behind his hand and Julie sent him a glare, but he was quickly knocked out of her line of vision by a kick from Genkai.

"What are you laughing at, Slacker?" She yelled at him.

_This is going to be a long two months._ Julie thought as she rolled back on her feet.

* * *

"Hurry up, Yusuke; we're going to be later than we already are!" Julie yelled as she turned around to the lagging Yusuke. Her masked teacher standing next to her.

"Oh calm down Jewels, we'll get there on time. I'm still tired from the training the old hag made us go through. Not all of us have your recovery skills." Yusuke replied, using the name he had become accustom to calling Julie.

Julie bit the inside of her cheek as she watched Yusuke slowly make his way to her and the masked Genkai. She knew he was tired. The fact he hadn't even bothered to gel back his hair for the past four days proved this. The training they had been put through for the past two months had been complete and utter Hell.

She was tired too, but because her body healed faster than his, she was able to move quicker, even if she didn't look like it. She had lazily thrown her hair into a long messy pony-tail with her bangs swept behind her ear, and her clothes consisted of a black pair of yoga pants and a loose fitting heather gray v-neck.

"How much farther do we have to go anyway?" Yusuke whined.

"Hey wait a minute, sir! Our team still has some stragglers!"

There was no mistaking that voice.

"I'm guessing not far." Julie said as she and the Masked Fighter walked forward with a reluctant Yusuke behind them.

"Then we'll have to put a mark on their heads and send out a hit man. Standard rule of the tournament."

Just then Julie, the Masked Fighter, and Yusuke stepped into the clearing where their team and many other demon teams were waiting to step aboard a ship to the tournament.

"Now, now, that's not necessary." Yusuke said, causing the entire assembly to turn to look at the three.

"Sorry to keep you waiting guys, but it was Yusuke's fault." Julie said, shoving her thumb towards the male.

"What? It was not!" Yusuke protested.

"You nearly gave me a heart attack Urameshi!" Kuwabara yelled.

"These forest hikes really whip me out." Yusuke said in his defense.

"Yea, you look terrible. Oh wait that's just you." Kuwabara laughed at his own lame joke.

Hiei stepped forward. "Yusuke."

That was the only warning before he drew his sword and attacked Yusuke in a fury of movement barely seeable to the human eye.

"Hey what is this?" A demon from the crowd asked.

"I thought they were on the same team." Another said.

"Gosh, their fast. I can barely keep up with my eyes." Kuwabara said, watching the fight with a strenuous look.

Julie sighed before deciding she had enough of their showing off. Dropping her bag she stepped just out of reach of the two, watched for a few seconds, then snapped her hand forward and stilled Hiei's blade between her index finger and thumb. Hiei turned his wide eyes towards Julie. Yusuke wasn't as surprised, he simply smiled at the little demon. "Damn Hiei, is this how you say hello to people now?"

Julie smiled coolly at Hiei before letting the blade go.

Hiei smirked at both of them as he sheathing his sword. "Hn. I don't know where you two have been all this time, but it seems you've improved your skills a little bit."

"Improved a little bit? Oh man, I'd say they improved a lot a bit!" Kuwabara said with dismay and awe.

"Don't be discouraged. The fact you can follow their moves have shown you have improved as well." Kurama said with an encouraging smile to the taller teen.

"So, I assume the little one is our sixth fighter?" Hiei asked, casting a look at the Masked Fighter.

"You mean this little guy here? He's even smaller than Hiei!" Kuwabara said.

"Trust me; that one is going to be a lot of help." Yusuke said, smirking.

"I don't know, he barely comes up to my waist."

"Never judge an opponent by their size, Kuwabara. Big things can come in small packages." Julie said as she picked up her bag again.

Kuwabara turned to give his only female teammate a look. "When did you become all philysopical?"

"The word is philosophical, Kuwabara." Julie said with a sweat drop.

"Forget him. Yusuke and I are all that we'll require." Hiei said smugly.

Julie rolled her eyes as she started walking away. "And sometimes big words can come from even _smaller_ things than packages."

That earned her an irritated look from the fire demon.

"Enough of pesky distractions!" A pirate looking demon said, raising his hooked hand. "Let's all get on board!"

"Aye-Aye Captain Crunch." Julie muttered before following the others.

* * *

Once on board team Urameshi moved to a secluded part of the deck, being sure to keep their distance from the demons.

Yusuke flopped on the floor and leaned against the railing and promptly fell to sleep; Julie sat on the railing next to where Hiei stood on it, while Kurama opted to stand on the other side of her; the Masked Fighter and Kuwabara stood on the other side of Yusuke.

Julie took a deep breath and closed her eyes, concentrating on soothing her thoughts. Kurama's close presence made her body ache. It had been so long since she's seen him that she almost forgot what the Craving was like around him. However, after two months with Genkai, Julie's spirit energy control had increased at an astonishing rate, and with it, the ability to handle her Craving better.

That was the first thing Julie and Genkai worked on together. After explaining the feeling that haunts her (thankfully Yusuke wasn't around to hear about it, that would have been embarrassing), Genkai set straight to work on a way to vanquish the Craving. Sadly, it didn't work as they planned. After three weeks of grueling training and endurance tests, the Craving was still present, and Genkai was getting frustrated, even though she tried to conceal it. Luckily towards the end of the fifth week at Genkai's Temple, Julie and Genkai stumbled across a way to buffer the Craving's effects.

"_Skin to skin contact is all it is, right? Then follow me, I think I know a way to solve this, Barbie."_ Julie smirked as Genkai's words echoed in her head. It was so obvious that Julie couldn't believe she hadn't thought of it years before. It was almost like a loophole in the Craving. A safeguard of sort. However, it still didn't erase it from Julie's mind, only cushioned its effects. But Julie wasn't raring to jump Kurama where he stands now, and that's what counts.

Loud whispers caused Julie to open her eyes and cast her look over to a small group of demons looking at her team. Seeing them caused Julie to make a face of disgust and she sent them a nasty glare. They quickly casted their gaze away, either from getting caught looking or from her glare, Julie didn't know which, but she didn't really care.

"What's wrong, Julie?" Kuwabara asked, noticing the female's tense body posture.

Julie shook her head, letting the sneer disappear, but she still glared at the floor. Julie felt her hands shake slightly as they held the railing tightly. "These demons…they just remind me of the ones I saw when I was younger. Just more monsters thirsty for blood and death."

_And I'm still scared of them._

Kuwabara gave Julie a weird look before taking a very subtle step away from her. "Yea…what is this? I thought cruises were supposed to have pretty girls."

"I sure hope the island isn't as boring as this." Hiei said, looking absentmindedly over the crowd.

"We're not on vacation." Kurama reminded.

"I know, but…couldn't they at least just give us a place to eat? With pretty waitresses?" Kuwabara grumbled.

"Alrighty maties, turn your eyes to the captain's deck."

Julie turned her eyes away from the deck floor to the demon that looked like the twisted form of one of her favorite cereal character.

"It's still going to be quite some time before we reach the island. So we'll be having some entertainment to keep ya from getting rowdy."

"I knew it! Some dinner and dancing!" Kuwabara yelled excitedly. Somehow Julie had a feeling that wasn't what this demon had in mind.

"The preliminary battles of the tournament will be fought here on me trusty ship." The Captain said in his microphone.

That didn't make many of the demons happy. They all grumbled about having to have their oh so amazing skills wasted before ever reaching the island.

"A preliminary round…" Hiei stated.

"Now that we can't go anywhere." Kurama observed.

Suddenly the entire ship shook, causing everyone to brace themselves or risk falling off the ship. Julie quickly hooked her feet around the bars of the railing just before she was knocked into the water very far below.

"Earthquake!" Kuwabara yelled.

"Fool! There can't be earthquakes on the water." Hiei scoffed, he didn't even seemed fazed by the movement.

"Look!" Kurama pointed towards the center of the ship.

Julie followed Kurama's eyes to see a round block of cement had lifted out of the lower levels of the ship from between two slabs of the deck that had parted and now hung above the water. It was an arena.

"She's a real beauty, ain't she?" The captain said. "Now I'll tell it to you straight. Fifteen teams have already been chosen for the Dark Tournament and they are waiting for your arrival. That means out of all you on my ship only one team will compete on dry land.

Oh that really pissed off the demons.

"Hold on, I thought we were the special guests." Kuwabara whined.

"This is how they operate, Kuwabara." Julie said, not at all surprised at the turn of events. Demons had a tendency to do things like this.

"Teams pick out your strongest man and bring him to the arena's port side, and he'll fight the battle royal. Whoever comes out alive gets their team a ticket to fight on Hanging Neck Island."

"So one big beat down, huh?" Kuwabara asked, cracking his knuckles. "Guess I'll have to show them the brand new Kuwabara Super Attack."

A loud footstep caused Kuwabara to look behind him and at a large rock demon. "Yes I do prefer larger battles. One on One always makes me bored." It said in a dumb voice and walked past with two others in tow.

"An excellent chance to sharpen my claws." Another demon, one that Julie could not put a specific type to, said.

"Now I can kill as many apparitions as I want to. After I turn that human boy, Urameshi, inside out of course." Another said.

That seemed to knock Kuwabara's confidence down a few notches. "What did he say about the human? Y-you know these guys are pretty big when they stand right next to ya." He laughed nervously before pointing at Yusuke. "Hey! You're the one who wants to fight them. Well as the group leader it is your responsibility."

When Yusuke didn't respond Kuwabara walked over and got a closer look at him, to see he was fast asleep. He grabbed Yusuke by the collar of his jacket and began to shake him violently. "Hey! Wake up Urameshi! I said it is a group leader's responsibility!" Stilly Yusuke didn't respond. "Why do I feel like I'm talking to nobody!"

"It's no use, Kuwabara!" Julie said, standing up and gently removed Kuwabara's hands from Yusuke. "The training Genkai put us through was a lot to go through and Yusuke is still recuperating. He's going to need a while."

"So why aren't you fast asleep in La La Land?" Kuwabara asked.

"I just recover faster. I can't help that Yusuke still is. He's been asleep since yesterday and if I didn't wake him up this morning we wouldn't be here right now." Julie said defensively as Yusuke snored peacefully next to her.

"Then who's going to fight with all the big monsters?" Kuwabara asked.

Without a word the Masked Fighter walked towards the suspended arena.

"Oh look. We have a volunteer." Hiei said. "Good. I'm anxious to see what he can do."

"Are you serious?" Kuwabara yelled. "We don't know dang-squat about that guy. What if he loses?"

"If that happens then all we have to do is kill everyone else on the boat before we reach the island. We'll say we're the right team and no one will complain." Hiei said with a malicious smirk on his face.

"You didn't have too many friends growing up did you?" Kuwabara asked with a twitching eyebrow.

Julie tuned out the group as she watched her masked teacher stand on the arena with the other fighters. She noticed that instead of jeering at each other like she expected them to, the demons all seemed to stand in uniform, facing the Masked Fighter.

Julie's eyes gleamed with hate as she understood what was about to happen. "Cowards."

"I can't agree more." Kurama said, also glaring at what was about to transpire.

"What's going on?" Kuwabara asked.

"It seems there's an unspoken agreement among the demons that our friend will be the first to die before they start to rip into each other." Julie said evenly.

"We have to warn him!" Kuwabara said after understanding what Julie told him. "They're all going to gang up on him and he's trapped himself in a corner!"

"Patience." Kurama said, even though he didn't looked anymore pleased than the rest of them.

As soon as the Captain gave to signal every demon converged on the Masked Fighter. Julie's hands gripped the railing tighter than before. She knew that Genkai could handle herself, but she still worried. Just as the demons were upon her, the Masked Fighter collected blue spirit energy in her closed fist and pushed it forward. Sending a barrage of small blasts of energy in every direction and knocking them all off the arena and into the water.

"Holy Cow! He got everyone up there with one blow!" Kuwabara said in awe as the Masked Fighter retreated back to their group.

"Well I guess that explains why Yusuke can sleep so peacefully on a boat full of demons." Kurama laughed lightly.

_Not exactly, Kurama. Yusuke is just being Yusuke: sleeping when he wants to._ Julie laughed in her head, but decided to keep that information to herself.

"I'm sorry to say that the sixteenth team will have to be the human one: Yusuke Urameshi's team!" The Captain declared.

"Good job little man! Now how about you let us see under those bandages now?" Kuwabara said. The Masked Fighter only replied by pointing behind Kuwabara.

Julie followed her finger to see that an entire hoard of demons was grinning maliciously behind him. She looked around to see that there was more than a few. Team Urameshi was completely surrounded.

"You think we really care about fighting by the rules?" One demon growled down Julie's neck, causing her to scoff in disgust and step away from him. "There's only one way to find the best team on this boat."

"I think they stole your idea, Hiei." Julie smirked as she concentrated her black energy into her left hand.

"We'll have to make them pay very dearly for that." Hiei said.

"Of course." Kurama smirked as he pulled out a rose.

And that's when the real battle royal began. Julie jumped up and away from the others as she molded her spirit energy into a bow made out of black energy.

During one of the first training session Genkai saw how pitiful Julie's ability to control her spirit energy way. Julie was basically a level one beginner in Genkai's eyes and they had to start from scratch with Julie's training. In doing so, Genkai showed Julie it was easier to control the accuracy of a spirit strike if it was in the form of a weapon.

Genkai tried to have her push her energy into the form of a Spirit Gun, like herself and Yusuke, but that was a bust. Julie's energy didn't have the same consistency as theirs, so she had to try something else.

Yusuke was the one who actually came up with the Spirit Bow. He got the idea from remembering his fight with Suzaku, the demon controlling the Makai Bugs that were turning humans into zombies. He said Suzaku controlled lighting energy with a bow, and didn't see why Julie couldn't. Turned out he was right. After getting use to it, Julie became deadly accurate with her new found ability.

And she proved it by drawing back the black energy string and shooting a black lightning arrow through the heart of the demon from earlier, still in mid air.

As soon as she landed, Julie shot down two more demons. She took a sparing moment to see how the others were doing. Kuwabara was easily fending off his attackers with his Spirit Sword, and Hiei had no competition with his speed. The Masked Fighter looked like she was playing with her enemies than actually fighting them as she would simply dodge out of the way to let two demons hit one another instead of her. And Kurama had somehow morphed the rose into a long, thorn whip, and moved it with expert precision to cut the demons to pieces.

_So that explains the vine from that night._ Julie said to herself as she thought about the night that her and Kurama got a little closer than she thought safe.

* * *

_Confusion barely registered in Julie's clouded brain at Kurama's words. "What…"_

_ Something wrapped around her waist. Looking down, Julie saw it was a green vine, similar to the ones on the wooden fence._

_ Julie's brain was still foggy so she didn't fight the vine, she just looked at Kurama. The sharp, hungry look was gone from his eyes but the intensity was still there. He stepped back, giving Julie plenty of room, much to her chagrin._

_ "Don't…" Julie muttered as she felt the vine pull up, and she went with it._

* * *

_He's a plant elemental._ Before Julie had any more time to dwell on it three demons were running head on towards her at full speed, claws poised to kill. Julie cocked her bow on its side and spread her fingers out on her draw string, letting three lightning arrows form at the same time in between each finger. She took two seconds to aim before letting them fly and sink right in between each demon's eyes. They were dead before they hit the ground.

"Urameshi!"

Kuwabara's cry made Julie realize she had all but forgotten about her sleeping friend and quickly pivoted around to where the team had left him. Her eyes widened when she saw a demon standing over him, already moving his claws to kill him. Julie had no time to even cry out.

Suddenly the demon was on the ground. Confused, Julie looked to see Yusuke standing and swinging his arm wildly around. "Come on! You can't scare me grandma, I'll knock you back to your grave!"

"That's a relief, he's finally awake." Kuwabara said.

"No fool." Hiei said, also watching Yusuke. "He's sleeping."

"Right now?"

"Quit, you stupid old lady!" Yusuke yelled before suddenly he stopped swinging his arms around and slumped back to the ground.

"Even in his slumber, Yusuke is reliving his training. His preparations should make us all jealous." Kurama said.

"Believe you me, Kurama, no they shouldn't." Julie laughed lightly as she watched her partner snore.

"But she wouldn't fight unless she had her own reasons." Kuwabara said, looking like he had been in a completely different conversation.

"What are you mumbling?" Kurama asked.

"He's trying to talk in his sleep while he's still awake." Hiei mocked.

"Hey, what happened to the fight we were just in?" Kuwabara asked.

"It's over, everyone's dead." Hiei said and walked away.

* * *

_Hotel Kubikukuri. Huh, posh name for such a deviant location. I'll never understand rich people. _Julie thought as she and her team walked into their place of residence for the tournament.

"Wow!" Kuwabara couldn't keep his amazement to himself. The inside of the hotel didn't reflect its outer-surroundings. While Hanging Neck Island was full of demons and had a dark ambiance to it, Hotel Kubikukuri was filled with richly dressed humans and was lit by expensive chandeliers. As the team looked around the unfamiliar territory a man dressed in a waiter's tux stopped in front of them.

"The best of the evening gentlemen and lady." He said with a bow. "We have been expecting you. Please, follow me."

As the team walked to the elevators Julie heard the other humans in the room whispering to each other and glancing their way, and they weren't very quite.

"I've got a bad feeling about the people in here. I never trust grown-ups dressed that fancy." Kuwabara said, also noticing the looks they were getting.

Julie then overheard a woman saying, "For some reason, I thought they would be bigger."

"Be nice to them Caroline, they are about to be dead."

"This is going to be a very intriguing year."

Julie frowned, knowing that everyone had overheard the aristocrats, and before she could stop her childish thought, Julie sent a small, unseen zap of electricity to shatter the glass in the woman's hand without even looking.

The shrieks of surprise made Julie smirk as the team gathered in the elevator. A fake cough to her left made Julie look to see Kurama's eyes scolding her but there was a twitch at the corner of his lips. Julie gave him a smile that said she wasn't sorry at all.

* * *

"I sure have to hand it to them, they know how to make things pretty. I haven't seen this much rich stuff in my whole life." Kuwabara said after everyone had settled their stuff in their designated rooms and were now sitting in the living room.

Julie was unimpressed, but didn't voice it. Her third set of foster parents were a rich couple that owned an oil company. Critics called them heartless so the couple decided to take in a foster child to show how full of heart they were. However, in the six months Julie was there she learned it wasn't the couple that was heartless, it was their children. The two twin daughters, who were around the same age as Julie, hated Julie from the get-go and made her life a living Hell. Granted Julie wasn't very fond of the snobby brats either, but she didn't spit gum in their hair and call them a poor street rat.

It didn't help that when a demon attacked Julie the day after she turned 14 that the twins got in harm's way and were seriously injured. Of course the twins didn't see the demon and blamed it all on Julie and of course the parents believed them. Who would believe a problem child over their own precious, angelic daughters? Julie was out of there faster than she could say "I'm innocent." And that was the shortest amount of time Julie had stayed at a foster home.

Pushing that morbid part of her life to the back of her mind, Julie yawned and stretched out on the loveseat across from the still sleeping Yusuke.

Just as she was about to fall asleep, a knock on the door made Julie open her eyes. A waiter walked in with a cart of coffee cups. "Good evening again. You're evening coffee, compliments of the hotel." As soon as he set the cups on the table in the center of the room, the waiter was gone.

"Careful, those fancy guys might be trying to poison us." Kuwabara said.

"Does that really make sense, Kuwabara?" Kurama asked, picking up his cup and taking a sip. "Why would they bring us all the way here if they were just going to poison us?"

"The organizers want to see us fight. They'll save their murder attempts for tomorrow." Hiei added as he too picked up his cup.

"You guys can talk your logic all you want. I'm staying with the trusty old aluminum." Kuwabara said, pulling a soda can out of his bag. "And look, Julie's with me." He said, noticing that Julie hadn't picked up her cup either.

"No I'm not," Julie covered her mouth as she yawned again. "I don't really drink coffee. Never had much of a taste for it."

"Why is there only two cups on the table?" Kurama asked.

Julie furrowed her eyebrows as she sat up to see that there was in fact, only two coffee's on the table.

"That's the one Julie and me aren't drinking, duh." Kuwabara stated as if it was the most obvious thing.

"Yes, there should be three." Kurama said patiently. "One for you, one for Julie, and one for Yusuke."

"Wow…you think Urameshi can drink in his sleep too?"

Julie let out a sigh at Kuwabara's stupidity before catching movement out of the corner of her eye and looked behind Hiei's and Kurama's couch to see a small boy sipping on the missing coffee mug.

Julie couldn't help think how adorable he looked. With his hat worn backwards and his brown hair sticking out from under it, Julie thought he might have been a human child no older than ten years old. But the mature look in his eye and the proportions of his body made it obvious he wasn't human. The innocents of the demon child unsettled Julie.

Everyone stood, startled by the boy's presence.

"How did you get in here?" Kurama asked.

"He must have been hiding in the room before we got in here." Kuwabara said.

"Fibber, fibber, I got in the door after you came in here." The boy said in a childish voice. "Isn't that what good boys are suppose to do? Oops, I guess I did forget to knock."

"Good boys also aren't supposed to steal." Julie said nonchalantly and setting her hands on her hips.

He took another sip of coffee before turning his head to Julie and smiled. "You said you didn't want your coffee though. And I just couldn't let it go to waste. I hope you don't mind, pretty lady."

The boy's smile confused Julie so she didn't say anything back. The boy sipped the coffee again before turning to the group as a whole.

"So you guys are the guest, aren't you? You're so lucky. Oh, my name is Rinku by the way. I'm on the Rokuyukai team that you're fighting tomorrow." He then set the empty cup down and balanced on it with his index fingers, proving further that he wasn't a human child.

"I wish I was a guest, you don't have to go to all the boring opening ceremonies or meetings about the rules. You just show up here and fight. But I guess you don't have to learn about the rules when you're going to be dead soon." Rinku said with a smile before it turned wicked. "Somebody told me the guest would be special, so I got excited. But you don't look special at all. Maybe I'll even beat you with no hands."

"Don't you think you're talking too much?"

The voice startled Julie and she and the others looked to their left to see a pale demon leaning against the wall. By demon standards, he would be attractive, with such chiseled features. However, to a human, the edginess of his body was unearthly and therefore, so unsettling that he was almost homely.

"What? Who is he? I didn't sense either of them come in here!" Kuwabara said.

Rinku jumped in front of the man with a giggle. "Hey there, Zeru. I was just saying howdy-do to our enemies." Again, the innocents of Rinku was unsettling.

Zeru nodded his head before moving to walk out the door. As they did, Zeru turned to look at Team Urameshi. "Enjoy your last night among the living. Let's just say tomorrow, you will strongly resemble your coffee cup."

_What?_ Just as Julie thought the question a shattering made her turn to see the coffee cup on the table had been cut clean in two. The contents were spilt all over the table, and the two were gone.

* * *

Later that night a demon woke from his slumber. A loud noise had woken him for the third time that night. Kuwabara's loud snoring was going to be the death of him, if this demon had anything to say about it.

Turning over in his bed, Hiei took a pillow and pushed it over his uncovered ear, hoping it would muffle the infuriating noise. After a few minutes Hiei growled and threw off the sheets as he stood up. Even though Kurama was sleeping peacefully through the unbearable noise, Hiei took care to leave their room without a sound.

As he moved down the hall to silence the buffoon, Hiei caught a scent that made him pause. It was a very familiar smell to the fire demon and he wondered why it was in the team's hotel room of all places.

Following the smell to its source, Hiei found himself in front of one of the three bathroom doors.

Confused, Hiei sniffed the air again to make sure. Yes, it was definitely coming from the bathroom. There was someone in there; however, it was difficult to tell who it was because the shower was running. The water had deluding the scent.

Hiei would have left well enough alone but the fact the scent of blood was in the air made the fire demon continue.

He grabbed the handle only to find it stick. The lock didn't faze the demon and he sent a small amount of his energy into the handle to spring the lock free. The door opened with a loud creeping noise and Hiei deliberately made his footsteps loud so whoever was bathing could be alert to his presents.

But when Hiei, stood in front of the frosted screen of the shower the person made no indication that they had heard him.

Hiei figured it was Yusuke. Kurama was sleeping soundly in their room, the buffoon's snores could still be heard over the running water, and Julie was about to pass out earlier when Rinku and Zeru showed up and she had gone to sleep right after, so she had to be sleeping now. Hiei didn't know the Masked Fighter's habits so it was a good possibility it was him, but the chance of it being Yusuke was higher.

Yusuke could have finally woken up (and who wouldn't with the snoring idiot for a roommate?) and was now taking a refreshing shower.

However, that still didn't explain the smell of blood that was so familiar to Hiei that no amount of water could mask it. And if it was Yusuke, or the Masked Fighter, they would have said something about Hiei's presents by now.

Suspicious, Hiei put his hand on the hilt of his sword and the other on the frosted door. He slid it back and when he looked in he was almost shocked.

Lying on the tiled floor of the shower was an unconscious Julie. Her naked form was sprawled on its side, her face turned away from him, and her long black hair was splayed around her.

For a heartbeat, Hiei thought she was dead, but then he saw the small movement of her chest rising and falling as she breathed slowly.

Hiei furrowed his eyebrows as he reached and turned the now freezing water off. As the last of the water swirled down the drain Hiei noticed a red tint was mixed with it. Confused even more, Hiei reached over and gentle shook Julie's shoulder. She didn't wake. She didn't even stir.

Hiei reached under her jaw line and felt for a pulse. Nothing was wrong with it, it was perfectly normal. Not knowing what was wrong with the girl, Hiei tried to wake Julie again, but the girl refused to wake.

Not knowing what else to do, Hiei moved to pick Julie up. The fact that she was naked did not faze him. He had seen many naked women, and had seen plenty with better figures than Julie.

She was light, and easy to carry, even if she was taller than him, and he had no trouble taking her to her room that she shared with no one. Her sheets were already moved back so Hiei just settled her in them and tossed the sheets back over her. As if he was going to tuck her in. The day he did that was the day he'd hug Kuwabara.

Hiei then noticed the scent of blood was lingering on Julie, and it wasn't hard to find out where from. There was blood trailing from the corner of Julie's mouth. The demon in Hiei made him reach forward and wipe it off with his index finger and put the blood coated finger to his tongue.

Her blood had a sweetness to it that not many humans had, but there was a tang to it that Hiei found unusual. A tang that Hiei didn't recognize but knew shouldn't be there. He'd have to talk to Kurama about this.

Hiei turned to leave but a restraint on his hand made him stop. He turned to see Julie had awakened, but hadn't fully come out of her slumber.

"Don't tell anyone." Julie's voice came out in a harsh whisper, as if she had lost her voice from yelling too much. She looked on the verge of tears, and she looked pathetic. "Please?"

Hiei didn't say anything as she closed her eyes again and her hand fell from his.

* * *

Uh-oh. Hiei knows…will he tell the others? Or will he keep it a secret for Julie? And will Julie and Kurama figure what the hell is going on with them? So many unanswered questions. So many chapters to go=)

Find out next Saturday! ( I don't have a teaser cause I wrote this one as quickly as I could without making it too horrible. Forgive me! *dodges rotten cucumbers for lack of teaser*)

Reviews appreciated=)

-love, Blue


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